Page 50 - Spring 2022

From left, Lauren Suggs, Grace Burnett, instructor Melissa Darnell, Hannah Carter, Malia Horst and Becca Clower show off their state championship trophy.
applause from a sizeable contingent of parents and supporters who have made the trip from Oconee County to Columbus. For the next minute and 58 seconds, the team is a collective vision of discipline, control and emotion expressed with precision through movements that have become second nature across long months of rehearsal. After a brief break to change costumes and grab a swig of water, they return to the stage to perform in the “pom” category, a style which fuses the aesthetic fundamentals of dance with the athleticism of competitive cheer.
The successful execution of both numbers and the culmination of a season-long effort leaves the dancers wearing bright smiles and tears of adrenaline and relief. For Clower, this moment captures what the Titan Thrill is all about. “It was the best feeling in the world,” she recalled. “All of our hard work from the season was shown during that performance. We all came off crying and smiling and hugging each other... It was something I’ll never forget. We are a family that values hard work, kindness and loyalty.”
While they perform, Darnell watches from the coach’s chair at the back of the stage. It is a unique vantage point that
offers its own blessings to the teacher and mentor who has walked every step of this journey alongside her dancers.
“I get to watch people be moved and affected by what we have created,” she said with a smile. “I get to see their faces when they aren’t facing the crowd, and that’s the moment when I am most aware of everything they have accomplished on their way to this point.”
As the final teams take the stage, the dancers greet their parents, rehydrate, and, with mounting nerves and hushed voices, speculate as to where their performances might rank relative to the other teams in attendance.
Cries of joy reach the rafters of the old Iron Works when the judges announce North Oconee as the first-place finisher in the jazz category among all competitors from regions 3A and 4A. The joy comes from knowing that the story of this piece is complete— from concept to choreography to rehearsal and to a first-place finish. The story’s ending is a happy one. Their pom number places favorably as well, ranking just behind last season’s first- place finisher and two other renowned dance programs. For the dancers, it is an acknowledgement of their excellence and a trophy for their Instagrams. For Darnell, it is confirmation that a team can be both a family of artists and a top-tier competitor.
“You can be athletic and artistic, and it can be competitive,” said Darnell, thinking back on what this season means. “You can be a family and not just a group of competitors. If we are a family, the win belongs to the family.”
For the younger dancers like Mary Laura Hodges, the finish brings confidence and an increased desire to reach new heights in coming seasons. “I want to continue to place at competitions,” she said, “but most importantly, I want to make more memories with the girls on the team and grow not only as a dancer, but as a person.”
From left, Malia Horst, Mary Laura Hodges and Becca Clower celeberate their victory. Courtesy Melissa Darnell
PAGE 48 | OCONEE THE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2022
Courtesy Melissa Darnell
Justin Hubbard