Through years of practice and determination, Sophomore Kendall Williams knows what it means to be a dedicated dancer. Her success comes from her consistent training and hard work which has helped her persevere through tough moments. Along with being a dancer on the Lambert Dance team, Williams also manages to juggle her rigorous schedule, showing what it means to be a devoted student athlete and model Longhorn.
Though this is Williams’ first year on the dance team, she has already made a big impact. Her ability to perform multiple styles, from jazz to hiphop, makes her a valuable asset. Williams and her teammates have been working tirelessly, with practices three mornings each week, to ensure they are ready to compete at the state championship in Athens, Georgia this February.
“I feel like I’m pretty versatile, so I can do most things in either style,” Williams said.
Beyond her skills, Williams values the bond she shares with her teammates. Outside of practice, they spend a lot of time together to strengthen their friendships. Being new to the team was nerve-wracking, but Williams felt encouraged and supported by her teammates every step of the way.
“Outside of practice, we do a lot of…activities that help us get to know each other very well,” Williams highlighted. “My favorite time was when we went to Starbucks together before one of our practices and that was really fun.”
This season, Williams has a Jazz solo and feels very emotionally connected to it. Williams’ performance earned second place at Lambert, where her very first showcase took place, and at their most recent one at Model High School. Her tremendous talent and dedication toward dance, truly explains what has led her to her success.
“What I really love about my solo is that I got to choreograph it myself,” Williams emphasized. “Dancing at the studio, you don’t get to pick the music or choreography, so doing it here was different in that sense.”
Outside of dance, Williams is academically and socially involved at Lambert. She is a member of both DECA and National Beta club. Through both of these clubs, she is able to dive more into the Marketing pathway and volunteer to help the community.
In addition to this, Williams has a strict routine that keeps her on top of her busy schedule during the week, which usually consists of dance practice in the morning and school during the day. It is very important to her that she gets a good amount of sleep each night, so that in the morning she is ready for her day.
“I wake up at five on dance days, and then practice for two hours,” Williams explained. “Spend the day at school and do homework for about an hour when I get home, and end my day with working out and going to bed around ten.”
Williams’ commitment to dance, school and her friendships, truly represents her persistence on and off the dance floor. Even though this is only her first year on the team, she has already built a strong foundation for the coming years. Her passion for dance and helping the community shines throughout everything she does and she ultimately serves as an example of a true Longhorn.
