For senior Chloe Lee, dance is not only a sport but a creative outlet to express herself. From recreating TikTok dances to mastering difficult turn sequences, Chloe has developed the skills to handle even the most demanding routines. Through the Royals and Monarch Madness dances, Chloe has learned key leadership skills that have enabled her to execute her own artistic vision. While social media and competitions shape her style, Chloe’s competitive edge comes from the countless hours she spends practicing technique on her own. By perfecting her form and trusting what comes naturally, Chloe has become an incredibly successful dancer and choreographer.
When building a routine, Chloe likes to focus on the big picture before moving on to the intricacies of a routine. First, she starts with the tempo, cutting and layering beats to ensure the music works to balance artistry with the physicality and technical variety that makes a routine so impressive. From there, she maps out formations and designates sections of the music to highlight impressive skills. Chloe feels that it’s not only important to understand the technical capabilities of each dancer but also what they feel most comfortable with. From solos to intense turn sections, Chloe optimizes her routines to play to the physical strengths of her teammates.
As well, Senior Devin Regan aspires to become a well-known choreographer and dance teacher. From the age of eight, Devin trained intensely for competitions, developing an intuitive sense of rhythm. But it wasn’t until joining the Royals that she was able to realize her full creative and athletic potential. Joining Royals gave Devin the opportunity to experiment with her choreography, executing her pieces on a real stage.
In formulating her own creative pieces, Devin draws inspiration from different music styles, guiding her movement. Devin starts with improv, analyzing the tiny components and details of each song. Testing how her body reacts to each rhythm and beat, she weaves together the best fragments into a cohesive piece. For Devin, her main goal with her choreography is to enable the audience to “feel how she feels.”
Devin’s style is versatile, whether she’s hyping up a crowd during school football games, free-styling in hip-hop with her dance friends, or teaching jazz and other styles during her free time. Devin’s advice to aspiring choreographers and leaders is to just be yourself. She has found success on the floor from simply “being me,” as she puts it. In the competitive world of dance, doing what makes you happy can build your own creative identity and find your niche.
Chloe and Devin’s stories demonstrate the effort and dedication it takes to become a successful dancer and choreographer. So while dance is an art, too often people severely underestimate the mental fortitude and physical strength required to be a dancer—especially one of the Royals.