The freedom that Rochelle Township High School senior Makaila Crump feels while she moves on the dance floor is what has sparked her passion for the sport since she was 3 years old. With one final season with the Chellettes approaching, Crump’s goals are to continue growing and competing at a high level while also preparing to possibly dance at the collegiate level.

“I enjoy the way I feel when I dance,” Crump said. “I felt I performed the best I could during my junior year and I felt I did well in my role on the team. I want to continue improving my physical conditioning and my technique this year. I’d like to be on a college dance team after high school.”

Crump was one of five upperclassmen who led the Chellettes to a historic 2019-20 season, qualifying for the IHSA State Championships and finishing sixth in the 1A State Finals. The emotion and movement Crump and her teammates showcased this past year was a tremendous part of the team’s success. Although athletics remain in flux due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Crump said the Chellettes have a goal to best their placement from last season.

“I felt that we did well as a team with synchronization and our overall emotion during our performances,” Crump said. “I think we can all work on better technique as a team. I think we performed as well as we could last season and my expectations for this season are, if we have a season and a state meet, that we earn a top-5 placement at the state meet.”