Fayetteville High School is the home of a nationally competitive dance team. | Photo credit: Leilani Judson
“I want the girls to stay true to who they are, their integrity and their character is something I’ve really prided myself on. I never want them to change who they are.”
Those are the words of Fayetteville High School Director of Spirit and Student Athletic Affairs and Head Cheer and Dance Coach Elizabeth Thomas-Gammill.
Thomas-Gammill is an Oklahoma native and has been dancing since she was five years old and began competing at the age of seven. She later cheered in high school and became a collegiate dancer. When Thomas-Gammill began teaching, she also began coaching. Last year, the Fayetteville High School dance team were crowned state champions. In the state competition this year, Fayetteville High School placed first in jazz and hip hop and are currently the state runner-ups.
Thomas-Gammill has been working on the dance program at Fayetteville High School for approximately 10 years. When she first filled the role, the Bulldogs were last in the state and she was determined to make a change. In 2016, the Bulldogs won the first state championship in school history and since then the girls have been placing first or second in state and local competitions. Under her leadership, the Bulldogs also took home fourth place in the hip-hop category at nationals at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida, last February.
“I’ve been chasing nationals since 2017. To hear that we were going to finals was one of those top-tier moments of my entire 20 years in coaching. It wasn’t necessarily that we could potentially win a national championship. It was that their hard work was being validated, appreciated and valued. In the dance world, it’s not like touchdowns and baskets, everything is subjective,” Thomas-Gammill said.
To maintain such a high reputation in the dance community, the student dancers practice year-round. They typically learn their dances in June and they begin to fine tune and clean them up in July. The state championships are in November and then they go on to compete at nationals in February.
The girls go through their dances repeatedly. Thomas-Gammill gives the dancers suggestions and asks them for feedback on her adjustments. She actively listens to their advice when going through practices. She also motivates her team. Throughout practice, there are smiles and giggles, but when the music comes on the girls are sharp and fierce.
Thomas-Gammill said it’s really the mental component is the hardest part of the preparation.
“Dance is completely subjective, you never know what the judges are thinking. It’s a bit of a mental battle to have to figure out if a dance isn’t placing, what do we change,” said Thomas-Gammill.
One thing that she implemented to help her team stay positive is to keep a journal. She also encourages them to find joy outside of dance.
Thomas-Gammill is apart of three major programs: Fayetteville High School’s cheer team, their dance team and the University of Arkansas’ dance program. Even with her hectic schedule, she constantly gives her all while showcasing different sides of herself in each one. The University of Arkansas’ dance program is jazz based while Fayetteville High School’s dance program is more hip-hop based and she makes it all happen with a smile on her face and with encouraging words for her team.
“Coach Thomas is very hard-working. She never backs down from any battle. She’s the most keep-going person ever. She’ll never walk down from a fight, she’s very good at pep talks and encouraging the team to work as hard as they can be. She’s also good at connecting with us personally as well as helping us understand who we are as people,” said Fayetteville High School senior Alexis Deacon.
The Fayetteville High School dance team is now preparing for nationals in February.