By Sasha Weintraub, Rianna Morgan, & Hannah Varughese
On January 23, 2026, our very own NHS dance team will be having its first dance competition. Read more to learn further about the upcoming dance competition and the dancers’ point of view.
Nyack Dance Team History
The NHS Dance team can be traced back to the 1960s, though it underwent many changes. Originally, the team was named the “Indianettes.” This name was due to their ceremonial dances to honor Native Americans from this area. According to a Nyack News and Views article from 2020, “At various times there were respectful ceremonial dances during football halftime shows… [which} were American Indian oriented to honor the heritage of the area.” To provide context, the article was about the original Nyack mascot and name, and why we should take action in changing it while still honoring the Nyack Native Americans. Roughly around the time we became the “Redhawks” in 2020, the dance teams’ routines became more “modernized.”
Interviewing the Team
We wanted to hear the dancers’ point of view, so we decided to interview some of them. Here is what we got from Andya Tassy, a junior and a member of the Nyack dance team for three years along with Citlaly Zayas, a freshman and first year member.
Andya Tassy:
How do you feel about the dance competition?
“I feel a little nervous because this is the first time the dance team actually had a dance competition, since we usually only play in the football games, pep rallies, and black history month assemblies.”
How do you think the team feels about the competition?
“I think they’re a little nervous, but I know we're going to do great so I think they're mostly just excited.”
How did you feel about not having a competition last year while the other schools did? And how do you feel now, with your first competition coming up?
“It's not like we really cared because we already were having fun doing what we did before, but now we're very excited and just want to do our best.”
Citlaly Zayas:
With it being your first year, how do you like the dance team?
“The people on the team are nice and I made new friends.”
How do you feel about the dance competition?
“I'm kind of excited but I'm also kind of scared because we're going to compete with other schools. I’m also a little stressed because I’m scared there might be dancers on a higher level than us.”
How do you think the team feels about the competition?
“I feel like the other members are stressed mainly about the dance because they want it to be perfect, but I get it.”
As the Nyack Dance Team’s competition gets closer, it’s important that we as a school continue to support them and cheer them on. With the competition being so close, the dance team continues to practice harder everyday, perfecting each and every move. If you know a member of the team, encourage and remind them to stay motivated.