What started as a mother-daughter outing a few years ago to watch a local high school hip-hop dance competition turned into much more for Kara Barton and her now 11-year-old daughter, Josephine, of Blue Spruce Circle.
Barton said she leaned over to another woman in the audience to ask where the team from Mt. Lebanon High School was, only to learn there wasn’t one. The news came as a surprise to Barton, who later found out that many school districts in the South Hills — including Chartiers Valley, Upper St. Clair, Peters Township and Canon-McMillan — had competitive dance teams
“How do I start a team that doesn’t involve my daughter? I have this interest, but is it shared? I went stale for a little while,” Barton said.
Barton’s wheels kept turning, and a few months later she was introduced to Julie Perricelli of Valleyview Road. Perricelli’s daughter, Sophia, was a rising high school junior with a background in classical ballet who wanted to expand her dance education and find connection at school.
The pair met with Mt. Lebanon Athletic Director John Grogan last spring and quickly got to work securing the necessary insurance, seeking potential coaches, creating an executive board and more. The Mt. Lebanon Dance Team, or MLDT, board is made up of President Kara Barton, Treasurer Julie Perricelli and Secretary Rochelle Breier.
“The girls and parents have worked hard putting together the program, and it is great to be able to offer another opportunity for our students,” Grogan said.
Auditions were held about a week after school started, and the so-called Game Day Squad is made up of 18 dancers, 12 of whom also make up the competition team.
Barton said that while the experience has been a baptism by fire, other sports programs in the district have been incredibly welcoming and encouraging. The girls performed for soccer and field hockey this fall and will take the court for a varsity basketball game on Dec. 16.
“It’s really fun to be a part of a team. Now I have a whole new set of friends from it. I haven’t performed in a while, so it’s just getting back to it,” Sophia Perrcelli said. I’m just really grateful that they started this so I could continue my passion for dance.”
The MLDT competition team will participate in a virtual competition in December, with its first in-person competition scheduled for early January in Philadelphia.
“There will be a lot of feedback for the girls and for the coaches who are taking this on for the first time,” Barton said.
The two coaches, Anna Cannavo and Sarah Langguth, also have strong ties to Mt. Lebanon, making their roles with MLDT even more meaningful. Langguth, of Woodland Drive, has more than 20 years of dance experience, having danced on the college dance team at Slippery Rock University, where she minored in dance.
“One of the reasons my husband and I decided to buy a house in Mt. Lebanon is because of the strong school district and how woven it is within the community. Lebo Pride is unmatched, and being part of a community program where I can share my passion of dance with students has been immensely rewarding,” coach Langguth said.
As for Cannavo, she started dancing at age 3, has experience with competitive dance and went on to study dance and elementary education at Point Park University. She recently worked as a long-term substitute in the Mt. Lebanon School District at Lincoln Elementary School.
“I could not have asked for more professional, experienced coaches — just in every way. It’s been wonderful,” Barton said.
While the coaches polish routines, the board continues to pursue sponsorships and fundraising opportunities and hopes to grow community support.
“I was able to see one of their performances this fall and they were really good. I’m looking forward to watching them build upon what they did this fall as we move into the winter season and I’m sure they will continue to do great things,” Grogan said.
The team is preparing to host a youth dance clinic for grades 1-8 on Sunday, Nov. 23. This is one of many ways they plan to promote the team and raise awareness.
“Starting this team was really just a passion for my daughter, Josephine, and girls like her,” Barton said. “It feels like everyone has something in this town, especially in high school. Other moms talk about the importance of having a ‘thing’ and how crucial that is to feel like they belong to something.”
Barton hopes to ignite a spark in other young dancers in the district who may one day, like her daughter, find themselves on the hip-hop team. Even if her daughter chooses a different path, she said, it will all have been worth it.
