When Olivia Steinert and her family moved to Dexter when she was around 11 years old, she discovered many of the amazing opportunities the area had to offer – especially in athletics, the arts and other creative fields. And when she stepped into Dancer’s Edge for the first time, it was a small step for an 11-year-old but a giant leap in her dreams, goals and life.
“I started competitively dancing at Dancer’s Edge right after I moved to Michigan from New Jersey,” said Steinert, who first started dancing when she was 5 years old. “Since I started dancing seriously so late, I did not start out as a good dancer at all. Dancer’s Edge taught me all I needed to know and allowed me to grow individually over the years. They taught me to never settle for where you are at. No one can ever reach perfection, but there are always more steps you can climb to try and get there.”
Steinert, who graduated from Dexter HS in the spring and has competed in multiple styles of dance including Contemporary, Jazz, Hip Hop and Lyrical, danced her way onto one of the elite college programs in the country. And, yes, it was another small step and giant leap at the same time.
“Ever since I moved to Michigan, I was amazed by the spirit of U-M,” said Steinert, who will study Earth and Environmental Sciences at Michigan. “I watched the Dance Team for years, and I knew that being on that team would be a huge privilege and such an honor.”
Valerie Stead Potsos, the head coach of the nationally ranked University of Michigan Dance Team, also is director/owner of Dancer’s Edge in Dexter.
Steinert also was a member of the Dexter dance team all four years of high school. She says there were some challenges along the way but also many rewards, accomplishments and highlights.
“The last four years were challenging,” she said. “We had had six coaches during that time, but my team and I never gave up. We had each other. We worked hard but we also played hard, too. I wouldn’t be here without all the amazing friends I have made.”
Steinert says the key to Dexter’s success was perseverance and having each other’s back.
“We never gave up,” she said. “Every year despite our hardships, we made program history. The girls on that team are what make this program so great. This past year was a year that was especially hard for us. Thankfully, we had our two coaches Morgan Dubey and Julia Acton step up in the middle of our seasons and take fantastic care of us. They let us know that our comeback was greater than our setback. We proved many people wrong this year.”
The Dexter dance team made school history by placing fourth in the Game Day Division at Nationals. “I couldn’t be more proud to have been able to lead such an amazing team,” Steinert said.
Olivia, 18, is the daughter of Dawn and Jason Steinert. She danced her way through high school to the tune of a 4.2 grade-point average. She also was on the National Honor Society, Chamber Orchestra and has done some choreographing for the Dexter Community Players.
But most of her day is dedicated to dance.
“I train 5-7 days a week ranging from 15-20 hours,” she says. “I take a technique class every Monday to strengthen my skills. Even taking a week off can set you back far in dance, so I make sure that even on my off days, I am working out and stretching.”
One small (dance) step – one giant (life) leap.
Senior photos by Mary Kerkes Photography
