Team Spotlight: Hot Wheelz from The Dance Complex

Written by Jessica | Sep 25, 2024

Team: Hot Wheelz from The Dance Complex
Head Coach: Kerri Trombley
Location: Maple Grove, MN
Style: Jazz, Lyrical & Contemporary

Hot Wheelz's Custom Lyrical Costumes

This year, The Line Up is proud to sponsor the Hot Wheelz dancers from The Dance Complex with eye-catching costumes for their 2024 competition season. Created in collaboration with Kerri Trombley, competition teacher with The Dance Complex and Business Development Manager at The Line Up, and The Line Up's Creative Director Trista Erickson.

“Hot Wheelz is a group of young wheelchair dancers that want to be treated and pushed just like all dancers," Kerri says. “These dancers practice one hour a week, working on this year’s Jazz and Contemporary dances. This program is an opportunity for these young ladies to have an outlet to dance just like all other dancers and to share their talent and passion. They want to pave the way for other young dancers. Dance is universal, and there should be no limitations or barriers to accessing it."

This past summer, during our annual video shoot, we had the privilege of filming a group of the dancers from Hot Wheelz, performing their 2024 competition lyrical routine. These video shoots showcase new designs and collections, along with talented dancers from around the Twin Cities. Check out the Hot Wheelz performances below, along with our interview with Kerri Trombley.

Video by Paravel Creative

Who are the Hot Wheelz dancers?

Hot Wheelz is a group of young wheelchair dancers that want to be treated and pushed just like all dancers. These dancers practice one hour a week, this year working on Jazz and Contemporary dances. This program is an opportunity for these young ladies to have an outlet to dance just like all other dancers and to share their talent and passion. They want to pave the way for other young dancers. Dance is universal, and there should be no limitations or barriers to accessing it.

What makes this team/group unique?

Their ages range from 7-18 years old, with everyone being extremely driven and multi-sport athletes. Their drive and desire to learn and grow is wonderful, which makes them extremely fun to work with.

How are you connected to this program?

I am their teacher and choreographer at The Dance Complex in Maple Grove, MN. My assistant Ally Shurson is a high school senior at St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Arts, and a dancer on Senior Company at The Dance Complex.

Images courtesy of The Dance Complex

What does teamwork mean to you and your team?

Teamwork to us means working together to accomplish a common goal, pushing each other to be better, and have fun while working together.

What is your favorite memory?

The excitement and joy I saw on each of their faces the first time they performed at a competition, and hearing how it made them feel to perform. Also, this past season seeing them go back to compete with a confidence level that was so much higher than the previous year and to hear how proud they were of themselves after their performances. As well as hearing about one of our senior dancers, Kaili Q. making her high school dance team and performing at her first half-time football game.

What has been your biggest challenge/opportunity this season?

Teaching this team has pushed me to adapt my approach, focusing solely on arm movements and transitions for choreography. Each dancer uses a different type of chair—some shorter, taller, heavier, motorized—and we even have a seven-year-old who has to work twice as hard to keep pace with those who have longer arms. Also, with just six dancers, creating diverse formations presents its own set of challenges, and we are actively seeking new talent for this season and beyond. Additionally, balancing visual levels and managing transitions between formations can be tricky, given the variety in chair types, dancer ages, and the speed at which each dancer can move.

Images courtesy of Marija Leilynn Aristry

What unique techniques or methods do you use to assist these dancers to express themselves through movement?

I take the same approach with the Hot Wheelz dancers as I do any other team. We work on our ballet technique, style technique, counting, strong focus on musicality, and overall expression through their face and movement.

What was your inspiration/concept and how was it incorporated into your costume, choreography, and music?

I choose the music first, considering the team’s talent, drive, attitude, and willingness to learn and step out of their comfort zone. These factors shape the music and choreography each year. Costumes are then selected based on the choreography, dancers’ age, style, and visual impact. It's important the costumes don't interfere with the chair's wheels and are easy to put on and take off, as competition changes are usually quick.

The costume was inspired by the soulful music and choreography, which embodied strength and passion, and featured visual transitions and strong arm movements. We thought the flowing peek-a-boo sleeve was perfect to show off the dancers’ strength and compliment the choreography! We loved the design so much that we added it to our online store.

How do you approach the creative process when choreographing Hot Wheelz?

Typically, I'll put a group of songs together and let the team listen to them, watching their faces to see what excites them! Once we have selected the music, I base the choreography around the lyrics, tempo of the music, and incorporate skills and transition moves they know how to do along with new challenges.

Images courtesy of Marija Leilynn Aristry & The Dance Complex

What impact have you seen this program have on the dancers, both on and off the stage?

Every one of these ladies has grown in their confidence not only as a dancer but as individuals. They understand even more that they don’t need to be restricted by their chair, but that nothing is going to get in their way. They can do any challenge put in front of them, they just might need to go about it in a different way. When they moved to The Dance Complex (TDC) they wanted to be in full make up, hair, costumes and compete at the same level and categories as all the other kids their age. They've moved out of the recreational level after moving to TDC and moved into the competitive lane, with this year moving up to our Pre-Competition level. Two of our older members, Kaili and Kassy, perform solos, and will also be doing a duet together this year for their senior year.

What are your future goals or vision for this program?

As stated above we will be graduating two of our team members at the end of this season and we want to continue to grow in numbers, and we would also like to be able to provide more performance opportunities for these dancers. It would be great to bring in some guest teachers to work with them, as well as encouraging more of these dancers to experience doing a solo!

What partnerships or collaborations have been important to you in the development of Hot Wheelz?

We have worked closely with Hall of Fame Dance and StarQuest Dance Competition, two very large traveling dance competitions that provide an amazing experience for these kids and the ramps for the stages that allow them to compete. This past season we had the privilege to have our Lyrical costumes sponsored by The Line Up. The Hot Wheelz team was also invited to participate in our annual video shoot. It was an incredible experience for all of them.

What are you most excited about for the future of Hot Wheelz?

In the past two years the team has competed in Hip Hop and Lyrical categories. This year they have requested to try Jazz and Contemporary. I look forward to seeing them take on these new styles and push themselves outside of their comfort zones!