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Haverkamp accepted into national dance troupe

Who said dreams don’t come true?

October 15, 2014

Article by Sami Fischer

Have you ever wondered how it would feel to chase your dreams? Sophomore Mackensie Haverkamp knows how it feels.

Haverkamp started chasing her dream of traveling across the nation for dance when she was 4 and hasn’t ever stopped. With her recent acceptance as an apprentice into the elite dance company, Tremaine, she is one step closer.  

This summer Haverkamp tried out for one of the most well-known dance companies, Tremaine, and she made the cut with five fellow Dance Factory team members. She went to Los Angeles on Aug. 2 and tried out with 110 other people.

Haverkamp had tried out for the spot before.

“Tremaine is an elite dance company that tours the nation. I tried out for the first time when I was 13 and knew it’d be a long shot if I made it, so I wasn’t expecting anything,” she explained.

Haverkamp shared how she felt when she found out she had made the company the second time she auditioned.

“I was so excited I couldn’t contain myself,” she stated.

Although the audition put lots of pressure on Haverkamp, she knew how to handle it due to her six years of competitive dancing.

“I have auditioned six times for Dance Factory, four times for school-sponsored squads, and an additional five times a year for convention scholarships,” Haverkamp said.

She explained what was going through her mind as she was auditioning.

“I needed to be confident, and even though I didn’t feel it, I needed to portray it,” she stated.

With being part of such a prestigious dance organization, there are lots of expectations Haverkamp has to meet to stay with them.

“In order to still be on the team I have to maintain my training, keep up in school, be a positive role model, strive within the program. If I meet all those requirements, I am welcomed to stay on the team all the way through high school. I can continue in college if I am asked back to be a part of the alumni company,” she said.

Haverkamp said she is excited to travel with Tremaine this year.

Haverkamp will get the chance to travel to five different cities throughout the year with Tremaine: Houston, Tulsa, St. Louis, Kansas City, as well as Dallas, and Orlando she said.

“When I travel I help assist the teachers at conventions, I help run the competitions and I perform in a show and usually do three numbers in the show,” she said.

With the company, Haverkamp will be doing all styles of dance: jazz, contemporary, stylized, tap, ballet, hip hop and street dancing.

Throughout the years Haverkamp has competed with over 50 dances and received multiple awards for her solos as well as scholarships to attend different competitions.

With the acceptance into Tremaine, Haverkamp’s next step is to become a professional dancer.

With so much dancing in her life, Haverkamp must have a reason for dancing.

“Dance is such a huge part of me, I can’t imagine that coming to an end, and it allows me to escape reality for a little while and just live,” she said.

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