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| Photo by DAWN JOHNSON Sophomore Kellee Amburn goes over a routine at dance practice. |
She is not a typical dancer. Dancers are tall and lean with long legs. Dancers are not 4-feet-11, but Kellee Amburn is, and she's member of the Wesleyan Dance Team. "I have always loved dance," Amburn said. "It relaxes me, takes me away from the world."
Amburn has been dancing in a studio since she was 3. She also taught classes for four years at Bobbi and Helen Dance Studio in Virginia Beach during high school. Coming to college as a freshman last year, she was ready to try something different. "I knew I needed a change from the studio," Amburn said. "From high school to college I knew I needed a change altogether." After trying out for the team, she and one other freshman, Ashley Nichols, were placed as alternates.
"They were both so good, and only needed a little bit of work," said Dance Team Coach Cheray Bazar. "I didn't want to lose them." As alternates the girls had to attend every practice and go to every game but not always perform. The girls dedicated extra time to improve themselves; their hard work paid off when Bazar moved them up before the team's competition season was underway. "They are two of my best," said Bazar. "They're a coach's dream. They put the team before themselves."
Amburn would practice hard and stay after to get extra help. "It showed me what she [Bazar] was looking for. Now I dedicate all my time to the team," said Amburn. "It's good for me--I get a harder workout. I learned how to do a lot of things I couldn't do while I was at the studio."
And, like many extra curricular activities on campus, Amburn added, "It was a good transition. It helped me get into campus life more." During spring semester last year, Amburn ran into a problem. Pain from her jaw was causing her earaches and migraines. Three days before spring break she had surgery to correct the problem. That didn't deter her, however, and after she had the summer to rest and recuperate, she came back for more dancing. And this year Amburn wasn't as nervous about trying out for the team, even though there were more girls who were interested than the year before.
"This year I knew what she [Bazar] was looking for," said Amburn. "I was bound and determined to make the team. I felt a lot more confident." Not only did she make the team, but she also became a Spirit Officer--someone who helps to motivate the other team members. Amburn, however, still knows what she needs to work on. "I need to improve on some things," Amburn said. "I needed to get my Russian higher and my kicks higher because I'm so short."
Her height, however, hasn't discouraged her. "She is tenacious about getting
together with me," said Bazar. "She begs for feedback and constantly
tries to improve herself. She makes up for the fact that she's short and never
uses it as an excuse." Working hard is nothing new for Amburn, and she
doesn't mind putting in extra effort. Just last week, she asked Bazar to meet
with her an hour and a half before a three-hour practice to go over dance routines.
Right now the team, consisting of nine members, is working toward their goal
of winning ODACs in April.
"I want them to win this year," said Bazar. "I am very happy with the team. They are all consistent girls, excellent dancers, with excellent attitudes. Because of their advancement, I have stepped up the technical difficulty of their routines." Battling her height to get her kicks where they need to be is just one of two continuous battles. Amburn has been doing dance all her life because she loves it, but she began dancing for other reasons.
"It was perfect for me because it helped me balance," Amburn said. This is because Amburn is 95 percent deaf in her right ear. "It took me twice as long to do things," said Amburn. "I didn't even begin to walk until I was 2 years old. And I won't say how long it took me to ride a bike." Amburn added, "They had to put ear muffs on my ears. But then I had balance of sound. It was amazing." Since then, she's come a long way. "After 18 years, you get used to it," said Amburn.
Through dancing Amburn was able to deal with this obstacle. Now it seems her height isn't an obstacle, either. "She performs every time," said Bazar. "That's a lot. It's enormous. It's all a coach could ever ask for. I forget she's deaf. It's not a disability to her at all."
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| Photo by COURTNEY COE Freshman Katie Menke goes straight from cheerleading to hockey practice Thursdays. |
She has the grace of a performer and the drive of a competitor. She can tumble. She can skate. She can even kick some male butt. Eighteen-year-old freshman Katie Menke has always had an active life. When she was three, she began taking ballet class, developing skills which guided her to cheering. In middle school, Menke went through a tomboy phase, and a love of hockey began to take shape.
So what's a girl to do when she wants to do all her favorite activities? She jam packs her schedule, of course. Straight from ballet class, the Fredericksburg native would head directly for the hockey rink. "The boys always joked me because I'd come in my leotard and tights [ready] to play," Menke said. Some things never change. These days Menke follows up her two hours of cheerleading practice on Thursdays with a game of roller hockey. In January she hopes to add ice hockey to her agenda-if her parents will approve. "I'm still trying to convince them to let me play ice hockey because they think that it's too dangerous," said Menke. "We'll see how it goes."
Nowadays it is not uncommon for females to become involved in traditional male sports. Their participation is now accepted and even praised. Keith Moore, director of Residence Life, is an avid hockey player who also takes part in the intramural games. He believes that girls should definitely participate. "[Girls playing roller hockey is] awesome," said Moore. "I think they should. I play ice hockey, and there are at lease six women in my league. The captain of my team is the mom of an eight-year-old."
Cindy Dixon, assistant cheerleading coach, gives her full support to Menke's hockey endeavors. In her opinion, Menke exemplifies the role of a modern woman. "I think Katie is setting a great example for other females that may want to get involved in a sport that is usually played by males," she said. "She is doing something she enjoys and is paving the way for others to get involved." According to Menke, being a female among a group of guys in a game of roller hockey is an interesting experience.
"A lot of the guys don't expect a girl to play, so it is nice to show them up," said Menke. "I can be intimidating." With cheerleading, Menke doesn't have to worry about the competitive tension since it's a sport that is all about teamwork. "Right now we are working on perfecting our fall-downs, basket tosses, walk-in liberties, and pyramids of all sorts. You definitely work as a group," Menke said.
Although the squad relies on the unity of the girls, each person brings something new to the table. In her short time with the team, Menke has already delivered. "As a freshman, Katie has contributed new ideas, a positive attitude and a great energy to learn new things," said Dixon. After graduating from Wesleyan, Menke plans to stay involved with these activities. She intends to join a hockey league and possibly be a cheerleading coach. The rush and excitement she feels from these two sports is what keeps her coming back.
"[Roller hockey] is really fun to do," she said. "It's exciting because it is a fast-paced sport. You are skating around for two hours, so it's really good exercise." "[Cheerleading] is a lot of fun when we get to try something new. For instance, in high school we were never allowed to do two-man pyramids because it was against regulations. But here in college, we are allowed. It is so much fun, especially when I have the opportunity to cheer with some great girls!"
Menke would love the chance to play with some fellow females in a game of roller hockey and has some words of wisdom for those who would like to get involved in the sport. "Get out there and have some fun. It is only a game of hockey. What's not to like? Just come out and try playing one night. Who knows, maybe you will love it. Maybe you won't, but you will never know until you come and play."
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