Semaiah Robertson (12, YPAS) began her dance career at the age of five at a dance studio called Dance Fusion. She immediately fell in love with the sport, and she has taken this passion with her throughout life.
“My mom put me in a recreational hip-hop class one day, and it’s been a part of my life since then. I tried cheer for a little while, but I wasn’t as passionate about it,” Robertson said.
Robertson’s passion for the sport was what made her decide to apply for Manual’s YPAS dance program. This decision allowed her to attend a good school while being able to focus on what she loves. While working incredibly hard in the YPAS magnet program, Robertson saw an opportunity to further her skills as well as continue in the competitive atmosphere of dance. This opportunity was the Manual Dazzlers.
The Dazzlers are Manual’s competition dance team, and they have an incredible record. The team was the 2022 ICU junior world champions, 2022 USA junior Hip Hop team, 11-time KHSAA state champions and eight-time National champions. During Robertson’s time with the team, she assisted with winning three state championships, being finalists for the Universal Dance Association (UDA) and even placed second at National Dance Alliance (NDA). These are good achievements, but Robertson has hopes of winning nationals this season.
“My favorite part of being in the Dazzlers has been performing at pep rallies and being able to show people what we work on all season. One of my favorite memories from Dazzlers was double titling at state my sophomore year. It was the first time in program history, and everyone was so happy and proud,” Robertson said.
The team dynamic has also been incredibly important to her as it helps practice be more fun but, more importantly, it opens the door for an environment that helps dancers grow.
“I would say that my biggest motivators are my teammates. They’re the main reason I continue to come back to practice. We all push each other to be the best versions of ourselves, and we hold each other accountable and give corrections which helps us be successful during the competition season,” Robertson said.
Given the amount of time Robertson dedicates to dance, it has put a lot of strain on her body, which has led to problems in the long run. Robertson has struggled with intense back pain over the past four years. She has consulted doctors and asked for explanations, but they haven’t been able to pinpoint the exact issue.
“I’ve gotten MRIs and X-rays, but nothing has been able to explain why I’m in constant pain, so that’s been a pretty big challenge,” Robertson said.
While at practice, the day before regionals, Robertson suffered a concussion. This was an incredibly stressful time for her because she wanted to dance and contribute to the team. She made the decision to still compete but afterwards prioritized her health and took a break. Thankfully for her, she felt much better after a week and got right back to dance.
Robertson has not committed to a college yet, but she has multiple options. She is going to try out for four college dance teams: Western Kentucky University (WKU); University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Temple University and the University of Louisville. In terms of academic schools, her top choices would be WKU and the University of Cincinnati.
“My biggest advice is to always speak up and ask questions. I think what helped me grow the most is asking questions when I was confused and applying all of my corrections. It helps to be coachable and helps you grow into a better dancer,” Robertson said.
While her future isn’t completely decided, Robertson is ready to continue pushing her limits, both academically and in dance. With the support of her teammates and coaches, she sets her sights on a national championship.
