The Arrows coach talks his dance background, advice for younger dancers, and having Sophia Lucia teach a Master Class.
April 25, 2021 by Danielle Schneider, OSAAtoday
[Author’s note: “Coach Spotlight” is a miniseries offering a quick look at some of Oregon’s dance team coaches. Today, we are getting to know Sherwood head coach Billy Gorecki. Gorecki danced professionally before landing at Sherwood. We provided Gorecki with a series of questions to answer. Here’s what he told us!]
A newcomer to coaching high school dance, Gorecki is in his third season with the Arrows.
OSAAtoday: How did you get into coaching? What is your dance background?
Billy Gorecki: I was a member of the dance team at Sheldon. I trained in Balanchine ballet and Graham technique. Prior to taking the coaching position at Sherwood, I had the opportunity to dance professionally for 15 years.
OSAAToday: What’s your best dance tip for a male student wishing to get into dance or to continue dance after high school?
Gorecki: Don’t let anyone ever tell you that you can’t.
OSAAToday: As you look back at your coaching career what is your greatest success to date?
Gorecki: My coaching career has been fairly short, but my favorite memory so far is having Sophia Lucia (dancer; actress; world record for most continuous pirouettes in one sitting) at our school for a Master Class! It was a great experience for our high school students to be able to take a class with Sophia.