Every new season brings new challenges, and it’s no different for the 2022-23 Hutchinson Showstoppers dance team.
This season might be even challenging, especially early on.
But that’s not a bad thing.
“This year we are stepping out of our comfort zone in both high kick and jazz,” coach Stephanie Kutter said. “This change has been exciting for the program, and the dancers are embracing the change with enthusiasm.”
That enthusiasm for tackling a new routine might come, at least in part, from the fact the Showstoppers boast a wealth of returning talent from the team that finished fifth in high kick and sixth in jazz during the last season’s Section 3AA meet.
Fifteen of the top Showstoppers’ 18 high kick squad are returning, while eight of 12 jazz team members are returning.
Leading the way will be captains Brooke Johnson, Cora Renning, Katelyn Van Marel, Karlie Whittington and Grace Wurdell.
“We are really working on our strength, stamina and technique, which will help us in both dance styles,” Kutter said. “Our biggest strength is our hard work and dedication.”
Building fitness, stamina and strength is important as the Showstoppers prepare for what can be a long dance season, during which injuries and illness can play a role in every team’s success — or struggles.
That was the case for the Showstoppers last season, when the team lost members throughout November and December due to injuries and illness. The team got healthy as the postseason approached, and performances improved.
Hutchinson finished third in high kick and fourth in jazz during the Wright County Conference championship — a place that didn’t match their own assessment of the competition.
“Our biggest thing is we want to be coming off the floor proud of what we produced, and nobody can take that away. We did that,” Kutter said at the time.
The competition the Showstoppers faced that day in January — Mound Westonka won the conference title, and Delano second — will be similar this season.
“Our section and conference opponents are very similar,” Kutter said. “Most would say conference contenders are Mound Westonka, Delano, Hutchinson and Holy Family, based on past results, but each year brings a new dance, so only time will tell which team will win the conference.”
The Showstoppers expect to be in the mix, however, as they take an approach aimed at getting better each day.
“Our first goal is to continue improving each week and to bring a consistent performance to the panel of judges, so we have some reliable data to use prior to our section meet,” Kutter said. “We have a goal to make it back to the state tournament in kick since it has been a few years, but we also hope to make some school history in jazz as well.”
