Q&A with Eisenhower dance coaches Liz Wiskirchen and Katelyn Halstead
NEW BERLIN, Wis. — A Q&A with Liz Wiskirchen and Katelyn Halstead who are the dance team coaches at New Berlin Eisenhower High School.
What are the team’s goals for the current/upcoming season?
Coaches: We have been coaching the team for 10 seasons, competing in poms and jazz. Our goals for the season are always focused on individual and team growth. We want each dancer to push themselves to expand their skills and dance abilities.
What is the team’s current overall record and previous season record?
Coaches: 2023 WACPC Dual State Champions – D2 Jazz and D4 Poms – 4-year running dual state champions as well!
How does this team compare to other great teams in the program or school’s history?
Coaches: This team has broken a record in Eisenhower history, breaking a record with 4 straight dual state championships. No other team has accomplished that 4 years in a row! They also won their 8th straight dual regional championships.
Who are the team’s captains or leaders? What makes them a vital part of the team’s success?
Coaches: Our captains this year were Camryn Rajala (senior captain), Marin Anderson and Anna Vassallo (junior captains). Our captains help us make decisions, big and small. When their teammates trust in their leadership and our captains trust in us, it goes a long way in team unity both on and off the floor.
Does the team have any pre-game rituals or traditions?
Coaches: Before each performance, the girls gather in a circle. Our seniors or captains give a motivational speech followed by our team chant: Jump, spin, prance, Go Ike Dance!” This team chant has been around well before we started coaching!
How does the team welcome new members?
Coaches: We do a lot of team bonding in the summer to get to know our teammates. The captains organize this outside of practice, while we encourage the girls within practice to stretch by a new friend, or team up with a different person to work on corrections. We Also select sisters at the beginning of the year to make the team feel more like family.
Has the team broken any records this year?
Coaches: 8th-year straight dual state regional championship; 4th-year straight dual state championships.
What has motivated the team to reach their goals this season?
Coaches: We think that trust is a key part to our team’s success. We need the dancers to trust us in order to put together the best routine we can, even if it means making changes the week before state! In return, we put a lot of trust in the girls to be honest with us about what their capabilities are, both mental and phsyical. This give and take allows us to put the best routines on the dance floor.
We demand a lot of our girls. It’s a long season, and it’s easy to lose motivation mid-season when you haven’t quite hit the competition season yet, but you’ve been doing the routines for a while. We try to continue to push them to try new skills, clean every count of a routine to keep them motivated.
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