Memphis Has Rhythm
But No Blues
WORDS: Lela Rast Hartsaw
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
Imagine the scene: A young girl and her friends in a hallway at
Manatee School For the Arts (MSA), huddled around a posted
piece of paper, eagerly searching for that one name. Suddenly
the air is lled with a SCREECH and a SUEAL of delight as
Memphis Mitchell spots her name among those selected for the
ballroom dance team for the 2018-2019 school year.
Sounds like a perfect scenario for a high school girl looking to
perform on stage with the renowned MSA Strikers. But Memphis
Mitchell is not a high school dancer. Standing in front of that
call sheet last spring, Memphis was still a sixth-grade honors
student. By making the team, Memphis Mitchell is the youngest
ever selected in the team’s nine-year history.
The gravity of this is not lost on Memphis and she is quick to tell
me that she had her doubts during auditions. “That rst night I
felt a little defeated,” Memphis explains in a demure voice. “After
the very rst audition, I almost wanted to quit. I didn’t think I had
what it takes. I didn’t know the steps, I didn’t have experience.
But I got a call back! I quickly realized the other Strikers were
really supportive. They showed me the steps and taught me the
moves. Their support made a HUGE difference.”
A little more than 90 students auditioned last spring for the Striker
team. Over several days, learning two new dance combos each
day, and watching as fewer and fewer dancers were called
back, Memphis obviously found her groove. She claimed one
of a coveted 30 spots on the ballroom team and now must
keep working to prove the instructors made the right decision in
allowing such a young student onto the team.
Memphis gives a lot of credit for making the team to a special
relationship she had with the Teaching Assistant (T/A) in her
6th Grade Dance class. This high school dance student saw
something special in Memphis and encouraged her to try out for
the Strikers. “She told me the next year would be her last at MSA
and she would really love to see me on the team.” The beautiful
high-heeled ballroom dancing shoes Memphis wears were a gift
from her T/A and a constant reminder of her encouragement.
Watching Memphis dance, one sees what the Teaching Assistant
and the audition judges all recognized - her natural ability and
graceful poise. But the dancing wasn’t the only measure for those
trying out for the team. Candidates are screened like young FBI
agents. There’s a background check into the students’ academic
performance as well as a records search for discipline issues.
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