Fairfield High School senior Sophie Skalicky is taking her love of dance to the next level, signing with the William Penn University dance team and earning the opportunity to represent the Statesmen at the collegiate level. Skalicky becomes the second Fairfield senior dancer to commit to a college program this fall, joining Teagan Gilchrist, who signed with the Iowa Central Community College dance team earlier this month.
Skalicky has trained at High Temperature Dance Academy in Fairfield, where she has been a dancer and member of the Student Instructor Leadership Program, teaching her own classes and sharing her love of dance with younger students.
HTDA Owner and Director Tympest Hora said watching Skalicky grow as a dancer and person has been one of the highlights of her teaching career. “Watching Sophie grow from a sixth-grade dancer into the confident, talented young woman she is today has been such a special part of my journey as a teacher,” Hora said. “I have had the privilege of teaching Sophie for so many years, and I couldn’t be more proud to see her take this next step in her dance career with the William Penn University dance team. Sophie is not only an incredibly talented dancer, but she is also a wonderful role model for the younger dancers at High Temperature Dance Academy. Seeing her grow both on and off the dance floor has been incredibly rewarding, and I am so excited to watch all that she will accomplish at William Penn.”
HTDA Assistant Director Shelby Moquin echoed those sentiments. “It has been such a joy watching Sophie grow over the past few years, both as a dancer and as a person,” Moquin said. “I am incredibly proud of the dancer she has become and the hard work she has put into reaching this moment. Sophie is such a talented, kind, and dedicated young woman, and I know she will bring all of those qualities with her to William Penn University. I can’t wait to see her continue to grow, make new memories, and chase her dreams on this next chapter of her dance journey.”
