The Simpson dance team’s season is coming to a close, but theireyes are on the future.

Thanks to new coach Becky Gripp, the team has expanded theirhorizons and is hoping to improve in the years to come.

“I think everyone has improved a lot and it has been a positivechange for us,” said sophomore Calista Vasey of Gripp.

The dance team competed at the Mall of America on Jan. 10.

Although they did not place, Gripp was proud of theirperformance at their first competition ever.

“We were well prepared for the competition, but we weren’texactly sure what the judges were looking for,” said senior AbbySinclair.

The team performed a pom routine at the Mall of America whiletheir competition danced to jazz routines.

Gripp hopes to strengthen their jazz abilities and wants to addhip-hop and lyrical jazz to the team’s repertoire.

“I’d like to see us perfecting different styles of dance,” saidGripp.

The dance team is now preparing for their co-ed show on Feb. 6,which will be during halftime of the basketball game. The show willhave a “Dirty Dancing” theme to it.

“Right now we are getting ready for coed, so we’ll be workinghard for that soon,” said Sinclair.

Their winter show is also fast approaching, which will includeperformances from about 20 high school dance teams. This show willbe held at Cowles Fieldhouse at 7:00 pm on Feb. 13.

“We’d like to have a great turn out. We do songs we did thisyear and invite teams to come too. It’s usually a lot of fun,” saidGripp.

Practicing four to five hours a week, the team is determined tokeep on improving, but it takes hard work on everyone’s part.

“A lot of it is up to the girls spending their own time to keepup flexibility and technique,” said Vasey.

Gripp sees the team’s abilities growing and is hoping to competemore in the next few years.

“I’d like to do two to three competitions a year. We might haveto work up to that,” said Gripp.

According to the team and Gripp, the dance team is currently onan up swing.

“We have a really young team, so we’ll be improving greatly overthe next few years,” said Sinclair.

With their first competition behind them, the Simpson dance teamis looking forward to upcoming years and performances.