Dancing With the Staff in Swampscott

SWAMPSCOTT – Members of the Swampscott High School Dance Team are trying to raise money by training some new recruits – their teachers – for their upcoming Dancing With the Staff show.”Some (teachers) e-mailed back and said ‘I stink at this, but if it will help the dance team, I’ll make a fool of myself,'” said Alexa Baldacci, a senior and co-captain of the Swampscott High School Dance Team.Dancing with the Staff will be held Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. in the High School Auditorium.Click here for a photo gallery.Baldacci said about a dozen staff members at the high school have agreed to participate, with each paired with two members of the dance team.The teachers picked the music for their routine, while the students choreographed the moves – although Baldacci emphasized that unlike the popular “Dancing with the Stars” television program, there will be no physical contact between the partners.”We’re not dancing with the teachers, we’re dancing next to them,” she said.Dance Team Coach Danielle Lannon and other teachers will judge the event. The team captains said they anticipate using revenue from ticket sales and refreshments sold during intermission to support costumes for upcoming competitions and their annual end-of-year show.They also anticipate a lot of laughs.Baldacci and History Teacher Mark Schwartz, who said his high school dance experience was limited to being a chaperone, rehearsed their routine to the Beyoncé hit “Single Ladies” Wednesday afternoon.”It’s going to be really funny – it’s really girly,” Baldacci said.Other teachers joined Schwartz in downplaying their dancing skills.”I’m not very graceful,” Lauren Skelton, a biology and science teacher, admitted. “I try not to dance in public too often.”Nevertheless, she said she will try and channel Posh Spice while dancing to the Spice Girls song “Wannabe.”Students offered their opinions of the teachers’ dancing ability at the recent rehearsal.”I’m impressed with how committed they are,” said Lindsey Ly, a senior co-captain of the team.And the role reversal of having students teach teachers has been beneficial.”It’s so fun teaching them,” said team co-captain Victoria Wharff. “One teacher got so frustrated when he messed up ? we can’t use dance terms that we use at different practices, we have to use ‘baby terms.’Baldacci agreed.”I can imagine now why teachers get frustrated at us,” she said. “We start simple with simple steps and then we can make it a little more complicated as they get better – like add hands and a bounce.”And the students understand where most of the attention will be on the night of the show.”No one’s going to be really watching us,” explained team Co-Captain Noelle Saulnier. “They’re going to be watching the teachers.”Cyrus Moulton can be reached at [email protected].