As the metro doors slide open, excited jazz shoes walk along the subway as a dance team in their full get up of tights and costumes begin to make their way to perform. The only thing stopping them from the subway to their performance was a downpour of rain in the cold. Nonetheless, the Celebrities trek forward.

Over Thanksgiving break, the Celebrities went on a trip to New York to perform on live television for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with Spirit of America.

“Knowing that so many people were going to be watching our performance was nerve-wracking because I wanted every ounce of preparation to be seen in a great performance,” senior captain Mia Caldwell said. “If anything stressed me out, it was how much I wanted our preparation to pay off. However, I also focused on how many people I knew that loved me would be watching and I tried to remember just how much support was coming from behind the cameras.”

For the first two days of their trip, the team spent five to 10 hours practicing, with at least 15 hours of practice spread across the rest of their trip. A lot was different for the Celebrities this time around: a different environment, preparation and style of dance.

“[The rehearsals] were very intense and demanding seeing as there were more than 500 people doing the same dance and getting all the details to match up and end with a clean performance was a time-consuming process,” Caldwell said. “The physical experience was tiring. It was a difficult balance between giving every ounce of energy to the preparation of our performance and at the same time leaving enough energy to be able to enjoy the experience and the time with my best friends.”

The morning of their performance, the team woke up at 4 a.m. and got ready in their hair, makeup and costumes before making their way in the dreary weather.

“Knowing I was going to perform on TV with my team felt almost like a dream,” junior line member Sara Leon Briceno said. “I always wanted to do something this special with my best friends and we got to do that. This dance was nothing like I have ever done before. Yes, the adrenaline hit, but barely being able to move because of the cold and still being able to accomplish that was amazing.”
On the day of the performance, the team rode on the metro before having to walk the rest of the two miles to their dance location in the cold rain.

“Our spirits were a little low because of how tired and cold our bodies were, but one memory that I remember specifically was being so uplifted by the crowd of people cheering us on in the cold and wet weather,” Caldwell said. “The people on the side were there early and brought every ounce of energy that I was lacking that morning. They locked eyes with each of us and loved on us so well, pushing us to get through any discomfort we were feeling to be able to enjoy and soak in the moment.”

To be able to participate in this event, the team had to participate in various competitions and camps with a company that is associated with Spirit of America. The team spent weeks in advance preparing for the trip and their performance at the parade.

“Overall, this helped me grow not only as a dancer, but as a person too, because I was able to see what I was capable of and what the Celebrities and I can do together,” Leon Briceno said. “Of course, without our coaches and the love our team has, we wouldn’t have been able to do this amazing opportunity.”

The Celebrities usually have one in-state trip per year, but every three years they go out of state. In previous years, the team has gone to Hawaii and Los Angeles. It’s been a busy year for the Celebrities, Caldwell said, with football season and other competitions.

“Because our year has been so hectic, I felt that the Macy’s dance was another thing on my dance to-do list,” Caldwell said. “It wasn’t until I was on a plane with my best friends to New York that I realized how special it was to be prepping for something as iconic as Macy’s.”

Some of the Celebrities, including junior Maysa Valeh, got to meet Abby Lee Miller, a popular dance instructor known for being the face of the show “Dance Moms.”

“It was so funny and random,” Valeh said. “We all kind of just stood there surprised because we were unsure if we could go up to her since she seemed like she was filming. Then a couple went up to her and got a picture so immediately after we went up to her, too. After we got the picture, she told us she was going to be watching us dance at the parade and she actually did end up being there.”

Despite the long rehearsals and poor weather on the day of the performance, Valeh and Caldwell said the experience made them grow stronger.

“I love my team endlessly and truly consider them to be my best friends, so knowing that I was getting to share this experience with them was an excitement that no part of the performance itself could provide, even one of that magnitude,” Caldwell said. “I was so excited to show off the hard work that we put into this insane experience and rely on the love we have for one another to pull us through any exhaustion or nerves that came from the week.”