Cosette Cornfield and Kaitlin McCann loved to dance but had no opportunities at Bridgewater-Raritan High School.
So, two years ago, when they were sophomore students, they danced their way to the office of Athletic Director John Maggio to state their cause.
“We went to Mr Maggio and asked if we could start a dance team here at Bridgewater-Raritan,” Cosette and Kaitlin both recalled. “He recommended contacting the Club Activities Director (Brian Smith). Mr Smith then told us that if we could find an advisor, we could start a club.”
The girls got their wish when Allison Grammer, a Special Services Teacher at the high school, took on the role of Advisor to the Dance Club.
Two years later, the people who helped create the high school’s Dance Club moved on.
Mr.Maggio retired, and Mr. Smith shifted from the high school’s Assistant Principal to the same position at the Eisenhower Intermediate School. Ms. Grammar stepped down as the Dance Club Advisor after two years.
To continue the Dance Club this school year, Cosette and Kaitlin hit the recruiting trail in search of an advisor again.
Their mission began once again outside the main gymnasium and in the office of Athletic Director Bill Deniz, who had replaced Mr. Maggio during the 2022-2023 school year.
Cosette and Kaitlin did not need to go any further.
“Mr. Deniz told us to go and find an advisor and said if you have a problem finding an advisor, then let him know since he has two daughters who dance,” Cosette and Kailtin revealed.
“They told me that they could not find an advisor and then told me that I am in as their advisor. I said yes,” said Mr. Deniz, who often attends dance competitions with his two daughters, who attend the Kingwood Township School and compete for the Prestige Dance Academy in Flemington.
The team practices every Friday after school in the large cafeteria under the guidance of Mr. Deniz and the two captains, Cosette and Kaitlin.
“We do a lot of our own teaching, and we make up dances using our own choreography,” the two team captains said during a recent Friday afternoon session.
“We love to perform, and we did dance at a few basketball games, but we are looking to compete at more athletic events such as wrestling and football,” Cosette and Kaitlin said.
These two highly skilled dancers will not be done with dancing once they graduate this June.
“We both plan to continue our passion for dance by joining a dance team or club in college,” Cosette said.
The team has grown immensely in popularity since Cosette and Kaitlin launched the program as sophomores.
“Two years ago, we had about 10 to 12 dancers, and then last year, we had 15 to 16,” Cosette and Kailtin reported.
“Now we have 22 dancers!”
Here are the Bridgewater-Raritan High School students who comprise the Dance Club team.
Captains: Kaitlin McCann and Cosette Cornfield
Aanya Gupta
Charlotte Polyniak
Dina El Hadidi
Emily Marques Delgado
-Jenna Bloom
Kaitlyn Ng
Leia Riina
Lorelei Park
-Marisa Scott
Olivia Letso
Ria Mukherji
Roshni Kabra
-Samantha Morrow
-Sia Muzumdar
-Sophia Mayo
-Sophia Ortiz
Tia Sharma
Violette Cornfield
Alternates: Leah Sowden and Stefania Hugelmeyer