Sparkle dancers gather in position. Anticipation fills the air as the music begins, and smiles form on the crowd’s faces. Pompoms glitter under the spotlight as the athletes begin to dance, and the dancers hit their final pose. The music comes to a stop. The audience erupts in cheers, inspired by the inclusivity Sparkle brings, connecting students of differing abilities through dance and cheer.  

Sparkle has been around for over 10 years. The team practices every Monday and will perform around 12 times this year. Performances take place during the halftime of home sporting events.

“My favorite part about performing would have to be getting the crowd involved [and] seeing how excited they are when we go out there and perform,” Carter Reynolds (12) said.

Sparkle fosters a positive environment. In order to do so, it starts with the heart of the team: the people. Fine arts teacher Christine Warner is a Sparkle club sponsor.

“We are around some of the kindest people,” Warner said. “It’s just really nice to see it represented in such a diverse student body.”

Reynolds, a student with disabilities, is starting his third year on the Sparkle team and holds a deep connection to the club.

“[To me], being a dancer means being included in things,” Reynolds said. “Kids with disabilities aren’t usually accepted. It was good to finally be accepted.”

Sparkle can help the student body form connections with each other by utilizing their differences rather than rejecting them.

“I [am] very passionate about making sure all students feel included in whatever they want to pursue, and making sure [the] students know this is a welcoming [and] inclusive environment,” Warner said. “Sparkle embodies all of those ideas of not just including, but celebrating our differences and recognizing that we are better because of our differences, not in spite of them.”

Dance is a large part of what helps foster these friendships, but it’s the extra mile everyone goes that makes the biggest difference. Practices start with people talking about their days, giving them a chance to connect with each other. Then, they rehearse their dance and finish with a craft and snack for more team bonding time.

“We’re not really focused on dance,” captain Risa Fingerman (12) said. “Obviously it is a dance team, but we’re more focused on the friendships and the inclusivity aspects of it.”

The team has performed three times already this year. Their next showing will be Oct. 10 as a halftime performance when the varsity football team plays against Rockwood Summit High School, their next home contest.

“My favorite memory is the first performance,” Regina Copeland

(10) said. “We were all very nervous, but we had a really great time with everyone. We watched the game together, so it was really fun.”

Often, students with disabilities are excluded from larger group activities, such as sports teams. Sparkle works to combat this by creating an inspiring and uplifting environment for everyone to be a part of.

“One of the biggest takeaways from Sparkle is just how much fun it is to be kind,” Warner said.

Sparkle has different roles for its members, including the team b

onding and fundraising coordinators, who plan team activities. The captains, on the other hand, pick songs and come up with choreography. 

“There’s all kinds of ways that we can work [the choreography], but that’s something we’re continually evaluating with these dances: how do the students with limited mobility feel about this move,” Warner said. “They tend to not have any complaints and just like having fun and being included.”

The Sparkle leadership team works hard to promote friendship and unity, values held strong throughout the entire team.

“Sparkle includes people who have disabilities, so the whole club is about inclusivity and not leaving anyone out,” Copeland said. “Anyone can join Sparkle, and it’s a super safe community. It really makes you feel like you have a family.”