Waltham Dance Team Heading to Florida Competition

The Creative Dance Studio Fire team out of Waltham will soon travel to Florida to see if they can spark a dance competition win.

The dance team, comprised mostly of Waltham residents ages 16 to 40, is preparing to compete in the Dance World USASF Competition at Disney World in Florida on April 28. It will be the team’s second visit to the competition.

As the contest approaches, team members are ramping up their dance skills during practice sessions at the Piety Corner Club on Worcester Lane in North Waltham. But for the Fire team, competing is about more than potentially winning the contest – it’s about having fun and forming lasting friendships.

Team captain Renee Boudreau started dancing when she was six and has kept it up, mainly for the “rush.” Boudreau, 27, however, said she loves working with her dance team friends.

“It keeps me young,” she said.

In December, the team appeared in its first competition in Maryland which qualified them for the Florida show, according to team member Casey Friend.

For others, dancing on the Fire team is a family affair. Sisters Kassandra and Kayla Aguirre, 18 and 15 respectively, started dancing together after Kayla followed Kassandra into the sport, the pair said. Knowing the stiff competition she will face at the Florida contest, Kassandra has set her sights high.

“I hope we come back winners,” she said. “Everybody brings something different to the table,” Kassandra said

The sisters, along with the rest of the team, will look to their coach, Amy Chiasson, for guidance through the competition. Chiasson, a 6th grade English teacher at said she is not at all nervous about facing other teams from across the world.

“I have ultimate confidence in what these guys do,” she said. “I’m not nervous at all.”

The team plans to perform a dance routine with a “nightmare,” theme according to Chiasson. It is several minutes long and set to scary music to tie the choreography together. Last year, the team finished 9th in the world and hopes to improve on that rating this year, Chiasson said.

“This time is going to be different,” Chiasson said.

Friend said she revels in the chance to compete but does not welcome the nerves she knows she will face. Friend said she is confident she and the remainder of the team will perform well.

While the team is excited for the competition, some members anticipate challenges. Chiasson said she worries about keeping the 30 team members on the small mat while keeping the routine properly choreographed. However, this year, Chiasson will be able to be backstage with and calm the team before taking the stage, unlike last year.

If all goes well, the team is hoping to bring some positive recognition to Waltham.

“The support from the community is just so appreciated and makes us work all that much harder,” Chiasson said.