The Dance Team, also known as the Rockettes, has traditionally been one of the winter sports offered at McNick. The team has been strong for many years and received many awards, some for state and national competitions. They have performed in the Orange Bowl, the Anderson Township Tree Lighting, an NKU basketball game, the Eastside Dance Preview at Anderson High School, and they qualified for the National Dance Team Championship in Orlando, Florida in 2017, among others. The last year the team performed was during the 2019-2020 school year, according to Director of Athletics Mr. Drew Schmidt.
“We have had a lot of success and accomplishments within the program for the last 15-20 years, including championships, awards, and accolades in competitions,” Schmidt said.
However, there have been recent complications that have caused the dance team to come to an end.
“The cheer coaches were looking for a [dance team] coach and found someone to do it,” said Mrs. Susan Rohlfs, Athletic Coordinator and Assistant to the Director of Student Life. In the end, however, it didn’t work out and a coach for the dance team was never hired.
Schmidt said there were other factors as to why the dance team was not continued.
“COVID played a major factor, but also in 2019-20 we had only three dancers on the squad and two of them were seniors. There wasn’t much interest in 2020-21 [and] with maybe only one returning dancer and also the uncertainty of being able to perform at basketball games because of the COVID restrictions [dance team was not continued],” Schmidt said.
Freshman Madison Martinez said she would love to see Dance Team as a winter sport option. “I would do it because I’ve been dancing my whole life. I don’t dance at a studio anymore and I really miss it,” Martinez said.
If Dance Team is again offered at McNicholas, the team could perform during halftime at home varsity basketball games. It would add liveliness and energy to the stands in addition to what the cheerleaders bring, and it would be another option for those wishing to be involved in winter sport.
“Mr. Schmidt would be open to having a dance team, but if we found a coach for this season, it wouldn’t be competitive. The team would perform during halftime at home games,” Rohlfs said.
Students interested in helping bring a dance team back to McNick could come together and work with Schmidt to re-institute the team. Schmidt stated that he would be open to housing a dance team if there were outside connections from students for moderators for the squad and that if this happens, a dance team for this upcoming winter sports season would still be possible.
“I think having a dance team would be great because my sister was in it, and I thought it looked really fun,” freshman Julia Cheek said.
The McNicholas Milestone 
So sorry the team has come to an end. I spent a year twirling baton, 2 years dancing and a year cheering while at McNick. And later I came back for a few years coaching the Rockettes. It was the beginning of competitive dance at for the Rockettes and it just kept going up from there. I hope a coach is found. Everyone deserves to have area they love at school. Dance is just that for many who have spent a lifetime in lessons.