Head dance coach Natalie Fisher brought back the Cougarettes K-8 Dance Clinic after its three-year hiatus.
“This is the first [clinic] since 2020, so we’re trying to get them up and running again,” Coach Fisher said.
Participant numbers have varied in past years, even before COVID.
“I think it depends on the community availability, on the year and the timing. [This year] there’s been about 10 or so. We’ve had up to 30 or so in the past,” Fisher said.
The Plainfield community inspired the creation of the K-8 Dance Clinic.
“It’s a community outreach. This is just an opportunity to get any children interested and eventually, possibly, join the dance team. It also gets them a little bit more involved in Plainfield South and start to see what Plainfield South is like, what Plainfield South Dance is like,” Fisher said.
But the dance clinic helps more than the young dancers in the area.
“It also helps current Plainfield South dancers. It gives them the opportunity to feel what it’s like to be the teachers. A lot of times they’re the students, so it’s nice to flip roles for them,” Fisher stated.
Flipping the script for the Cougarettes provides them with the opportunity to coach the young dancers at the clinic.
“The [Cougarettes] are going to be the ones teaching. They’re going to come up with the dance combination, running warmups and stretches, teaching them the dance combination techniques, and also cool downs. So, really, the Cougarettes are the teachers for the kids,” Fisher said.
For young dancers who missed out on this opportunity this year, don’t fret, Coach Fisher has plans for future dance clinics.
“Ever since I’ve been head coach, we’ve done them. Typically, we try to have one at a home football game and try to have one during a home basketball game, too,” Fisher said.
The K-8 dance clinic is taking place January 31 and February 2, with a performance at the home junior varsity basketball game on February 3. Participants should have signed up by January 31 via Google Forms. If you have questions, please reach out to [email protected].