Back in 2024, Woodland Dance began its rise when they won its third Naugatuck Valley League (NVL) title in program history, sparking their current three-peat. Last year in 2025,  not only did their success at the NVL level, but also elevated when they won the Large Hip-Hop State Title. Now in 2026, after winning another NVL championship, they took runner-up for Large Hip-Hop at the state level, also, for the first time in school history, placed fourth in the Large Jazz category. 

For the dance team, each athlete brings a variety of skills and tricks that are unique to themselves, making the transition from year to year sometimes more difficult. Senior captain Genevieve Bandanza remarks on their growth as a team since her freshman year and recognizes the importance of connecting as a team and the role that they played in their success.

“We’ve gotten a lot stronger as dancers since we’ve put a ton of work into harder skills and better technique, but we’ve also just become such a tight-knit unit these past four years,” Bandanza explained. “Having a team that can work together, critique each other, and love one another no matter what obstacles we face really makes our season so much more fun.” 

For the dance team the preparation starts long before they set their eyes on NVL, state or regional competitions. The dance team is almost a year-round sport, starting in the summer, preparing for football, basketball and the upcoming competition season. For the dancers, they start the conditioning aspect of the season in the summer; then as fall and football season hits, it is really a whirlwind. For the dancers, hours are spent perfecting their technique for these competitions. 

For senior captain Julia Galasso, preparation and consistency are key in making sure they have the best dance possible come the day of NVLs or states. 

“There’s a lot more pressure than there is other competition because there are titles that we want to get or continue to get. We prepare for it like almost any other competition to give us a sense of calm,” Julia notes. “We have a song that we like to listen to at every competition or practice and it really resonates with us; it’s “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus. The song is about the fact that it’s more than just winning, it’s about the journey.” 

For the team this really brings them together and allows them to focus right before the competition. While the seniors have had great success these past three years, for some the success is just getting started. For the lone freshman, Ginny Galasso, her success started early; inspired by her sister and senior captain Julia, she decided to try out for the team. For the past couple of years, Ginny has been attending the teams competition and has watched the success that the team has had and she hoped to do just that by joining the team. 

While it can be scary as a freshman to compete at a high level, Ginny was ready to take on the challenge and jump into being a part of the team’s success. 

“I’ve watched this team improve so much since my sister joined,” Ginny explained. “I’m just so so proud of how far everyone has come and I’m so happy I get to be a part of it this year.” 

For the dance team it’s more than just trophies on a shelf, it’s a place where they can grow as dancers, perfect their technique and have a great team.

“I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the Woodland Dance Team and all of my teammates,” Bandanza said. “I’m confident that they will continue being some of the most enthusiastic and dedicated dancers I’ve ever gotten to work with.”