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03/12/2024 11:28 AMThe dance floor is a harbor for constant hustle and a multitude of movements. For Sadie Zalewski, she is a consistent locomotive–never stopping or leaning on past laurels, while consistently adding to her accumulation of accolades on both individual and team levels.
The Branford High School dance team senior started in the sport at the age of 5, while doing cheerleading and gymnastics along the way. Yet the floor held firm in her heart, and she later joined the Walsh Intermediate School team, being part of five national crowns. Now, she recently just helped the Hornets earn two state titles in jazz and hip hop for Sadie’s third-straight year. She has additionally been named to the All-State and All-American Team twice, and furthermore, she was named an Academic All-State athlete this winter. Sadie also aided the Hornets to runner-up and third-place finishes in hip hop and jazz, respectively, at the New England Championships on March 9.
“I realized that the connection I felt with dance was one that was different from any other sport I played,” says Sadie. “I just have never given up or wanted to give up on myself. I know that there is always a bigger mountain no matter what I accomplish, so I have to keep climbing. Many of the girls on this Branford team I have been dancing with since 5th grade, and the bond I formed with them over the years is so special. We also have great coaches, who are pushing us to do our best.”
Speaking more to her many awards on multiple tiers of individual competition, Sadie soaks in the honor to be bestowed with tangible acknowledgment of her unwavering dedication to the craft.
“Being named All-State means the amount of years and the blood, sweat, and tears I put into this all paid off,” says Sadie. “It feels so good to see that physical recognition for all of that hard work.”
This year’s edition of the Hornets' squad was not only the smallest, but it was younger than last year. Yet rather than seeing this as a deterrent, Sadie and her upperclassmen colleagues saw that the addition of a rookie class helped reinvigorate the program.
“After having no freshmen on the team last year, it was great to have some new faces on the club this year,” Sadie says. “They have brought so much energy. With just eight girls on the whole team, we got to know each other so well, and it was great to have those connections.”
Regardless of what their observers or competing colleagues evaluated from them, Sadie and the Hornets made each event a competition internally, looking to win over the prior one. They went onto the floor full of energy, and departed it with every ounce of it exhausted.
“We went into the season with the mindset that we would make each performance better than our last one,” says Sadie. “No matter what the judges thought or scored, we wanted to come off the floor knowing we did our best with no regrets, and it paid off with the state titles.”
Assuming a senior leadership role had a tremendous impact within Sadie, not only athletically, but also personally. She discovered that proficiency truly is a by-product of those who sink their teeth into any hobby, while morphing into the elder teammate she aimed to emulate when she was a freshman.
“Not only have I grown physically through the sport and team, but I feel I also grew as a person,” says Sadie. “It has taught me how passion and hard work bring success. I got to be the senior I looked up to as a freshman, and I am really proud of that fact.”
Now beginning to reflect on her tenure on the dance floor with her fellow Hornets, Sadie notes that while cutting a rug with her cohorts, she ascended through adoration and affection. She adds that while she is sometimes shy and timid, the rhythm of the music unearths another facet of her personality.
“The sport really helped me, and I was surrounded by so much love and support from everyone,” Sadie says. “Dance is a way to express myself and has helped me come out of my shell. I just become explosive when I go out on that dance floor.”
Branford dance Head Coach Megan Palluzzi observes that Sadie really found herself over the years as a competitor and teammate. She additionally grew skills as a leader in keeping the freshmen on point, but staying approachable to them.
“Sadie has been such a valued asset of the team, especially this season as a senior leader who took the freshmen under her wing. Sadie has gone above and beyond to make the freshman feel welcomed, and leads them to remembering what they need/when they need it, and just being there as a resource when they need her for anything, or if they need her just to listen,” says Palluzzi. “When Sadie started on the team her freshman year, she was very quiet and it took her some time to open up. But she grew into her own, speaks up when she feels it's right to, and is a confident dancer.”
Palluzzi went on to note that Sadie, who is looking to continue dancing post-graduation, is never too shy to step out of her comfort zone, and do it with a smile that is certainly contagious to all.
“She has always been our trick queen and is able to do almost any skill you ask her at first try. Her smile is infectious, and her quality of performance has grown so much in her four years on the team, and I just absolutely love watching her take the stage,” says Palluzzi. “She has a couple of solos in both routines this year, and I love getting to watch her shine in those moments. Sadie is looking to dance in her next four years in college, and I cannot wait to see where that journey takes her and to be one of her biggest fans through it all.”
Sadie further exclaims that her journey through high school has shined a light on the importance of never throwing in the towel. She adds that each individual needs to find that one activity that drives your spirit, and never walk away from it.
“I have learned that you cannot give up on yourself in anything,” says Sadie. “I also realized that it is important in life to find something that you are passionate about and stick to it, because it is all worth it in the end.”