Martinsburg High School’s award-winning Velocity Dance Team recently made history by becoming the first dance team at Martinsburg High School and in Berkeley County to qualify for a national competition, recently receiving an official bid to compete at the National Dance Alliance’s (NDA) competition in Orlando on March 3-5, 2023.
The team, which has 14 dancers in Grades 9-12, will compete in three genres of dance — hip hop, jazz and pom.
Velocity Dance Team is a fine arts class at Martinsburg High School, and team members participate in a three-day long audition yearly. The team performs at all home basketball and football games, along with many other school and community events.
“We have been talking for many years about going to nationals, and we just never got the bid. This year, we felt very strongly about the choreography, very strongly about the team and so it was a goal,” said Alexis Maye, head coach for the Velocity Dance Team. “It is super exciting.”
According to the official website, since 1976, the NDA has built upon foundations of spirit, tradition and excellence.
“NDA continues to prove The Work Is Worth It through empowering young athletes across the country. By working alongside coaches and dance teams nationwide at camps and competitions, NDA strives to build not only strong athletes but great individuals,” the website explains.
Maye explained that VDT will be competing against every state at this competition, and in the next couple months, on the road to nationals, the team will be bringing in clinicians, adding in weekend practices and having a heavy focus on fundraising for this opportunity.
Velocity Dance Team is a class at MHS and not registered as a sanctioned West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission sport, meaning that any funding beyond the everyday classroom experience must be raised by the team.