Jim Fair
Hayley Smith signed a dance and academic letter-of-intent with Limestone College Tuesday at Blue Ridge High School. Left to right, front row, parents Mindi and Jeff Smith, Hayley, and Limestone Coach Ashley Gatto. Back left to right are Ignite Dance Company instructors Jodi Dix and Amanda Durham.
Jim Fair
Family and friends joined Hayley Smith at her signing with Limestone College at Blue Ridge High School Tuesday.
Jim Fair
Friends join Hayley Smith during the signing celebration.
Smith, a senior at Blue Ridge High School, signed a letter of intent Tuesday to dance with Limestone College beginning in the fall. The college designates funds for dance and academics for students to compete while also performing for football and basketball games. Recruiting is also in the budget.
Smith rolled her junior and senior years of high school studies into one academic year – 2015-2016. “I was a junior my first semester and senior the second semester,” Smith said. “It was hard but I wanted to finish high school this year and I had the credits to graduate.”
That posed an interesting question for Limestone dance coach Ashley Gatto during recruiting. “After Hayley’s audition we were sitting down and Hayley’s mother, Mindi, asked if there would be any problem dancing with the team since Hayley would only be 17 years old.”
Gatto said she had never been asked that question, paused, and then reassured the Smith’s that wouldn’t be a problem.
Smith has been dancing for more than eight years. She played volleyball at Blue Ridge, was a member of the Key Club and student council.
“I’m ecstatic,” said her father, Jeff. “Every parent thinks their child is the best. She set her goal and met the requirements in three years.”
Hayley said college was appealing and worth the double workload this school year. “I wanted to further my education quicker,” she said. “I still enjoyed my senior year in the final semester.”
She said business administration will be her major while working on a minor in marketing.
Limestone has open auditions for its dance team but Hayley’s school schedule prevented that. “I had to audition for Coach Gatto personally,” she said. “I was given some steps to do and she choreographed a program. I wasn’t nervous and thought I did well.”
Gatto said usually open auditions can include scores of dancer and they are judged against each with the best earning a spot on the team.
Amanda Durham, a Lander graduate and dance team member, helped prepare Hayley for her audition through Ignite Dance Company in Greer. “We worked on turns, leaps, jumps and facial expressions,” Durham said.
Gatto said Smith’s, “personality, drive and desire to be part of a team” were the qualities of her recruiting dancers. “All those qualities indicate leadership, too. We’re a growing program and we’re excited to have Hayley with us.”
Gatto was on North Carolina State’s club dance team and also taught the team for three years before joining Limestone for the past three years.
Limestone’s dance team is not a benefactor of Title IX. “Limestone had a football team and wanted to offset some of the male numbers by offering cheerleading and dance,” Gatto said.
Attending the signing ceremonies were parents Jeff and Mindi Smith, paternal grandparents Paul and Joann Smith and maternal grandparents Marvin and Judy Cannon. Paul Smith is a 1981 graduate of Limestone College.