Diamond Dancer
Reagan High School Senior Leads Varsity, Band
Dance Teams
By Amy Morgan
Ronald Reagan High School senior Charlotte Cheslock cannot remember when she wasn’t dancing. She grew up watching from her stroller seat as her mother taught at Heather Stolle School of Dance and couldn’t wait to follow the family foot points. Her older sister (RHS class of 2021) also dances, and Charlotte started taking classes as soon as she turned two. She began assisting with the younger girls when she was in fifth grade and now is paid to substitute teach tap/ballet/jazz classes as well as demonstrate and lead stretches. Heather Stolle’s students will miss her smiling face and willing heart when Charlotte heads to Texas A&M in the fall, where she hopes to major in communications or business management. Like her mother before her, Charlotte plans to teach dance at a studio in College Station during college.
“Dance is my second home,” she said. “I’ve grown up doing it so much, it has become part of me.”
All that practice and training has allowed Charlotte to flourish at Reagan. She’s been part of the varsity Diamond Dancers for three years. The 22-person team continues to improve its expertise and consistently scores well in national competitions – this year finishing fifth in kick at the Universal Dance Association Nationals.
She also has served as a Diamond Dancer social officer, planning events for the Big/Little mentorship program and special games or theme dress days to keep spirits high during the busy football and competition seasons. Charlotte developed her knack for planning as a class officer freshman and sophomore years where she gave schools tours, helped with freshman orientation and scheduled movie nights to build camaraderie.
As if Diamond Dancers weren’t busy enough, Charlotte also performed with the band dance group, which meant practicing four hours a day/five days a week in the summer before school even started. Every week beginning in early October there’s a new competition, she noted. They compete in both UIL and BOA, and Reagan’s team customarily advances to state. In November, Charlotte remembers they competed early on Friday morning then performed at the football game that night. This year she served as a band dance officer, which included teaching choreography as well as administrative duties like managing the costumes and props and making sure dancers were where they needed to be on time. One of her favorite memories was her first stadium rehearsal for band dance her sophomore year. The transition from parking lot practice to the stadium was daunting, but she appreciated how the veteran dancers took her under her wing, a practice she learned to emulate when she became an upperclassman.
In addition to hours of practice both before and after school, many of the girls, Charlotte included, continue to fit in dance classes around their busy schedules to polish their skills.
Academically, Charlotte remembers how her AP Macro teacher, Mr. Desmarais, used music to help the class understand economics. She also appreciated his understanding her class absences due to dance commitments. Not surprisingly, given her years of experience teaching those younger, Charlotte volunteers to help with summer Vacation Bible School at Concordia Lutheran Church. Although Reagan’s dance programs will miss her influence and talent, Charlotte’ ready to put competition behind her next fall and enjoy dance just for the pleasure of moving in harmony to the music.
