“How you do anything is how you do everything” is the approach new Corner Canyon High School drill coach Brittany Nordhoff and her staff are already conveying to the Charelles program they just took over in April.

“We know we are not just teaching dance, but helping dancers prepare for life,” Nordhoff said. “Dance is the avenue to help these kids learn consistent maximum effort towards a worthwhile goal, more importantly—how to work as a team towards that common goal no matter what your puzzle piece is.”

Nordhoff will co-coach the CCHS team along with Darby Jones and assistant Abbey Bench.

“We are excited for the next chapter of the drill program at Corner Canyon,” said CCHS athletic director Pat Thurman. “Brittany and Darby are bringing a great deal of excitement and experience to the job. They have ambitious plans for the team, and I think they will help bring out the best in the girls. I can’t wait to see them compete this coming year.” 

Nordhoff was the coach for the Brighton High drill team for five years—where she led the Accadians to three Grand National Championships and was honored with a national coaching award in 2008 for her years of service to the dance community, including a stint as vice president for Utah’s Dance and Drill Association.

She has also been a judge since 2003 at high school and college and major competitions throughout the country as a member of the Utah Dance Judges Association. Recently, she was in Los Angeles to dance in a Play-Doh commercial.

Nordhoff said that the experience of her coaches has shown that when teams are given an expected standard to perform at, that they can thrive within that structure. “We also firmly believe that if you fail to plan you plan to fail,” she said. “If a dancer feels prepared, it will reflect in their performance. It’s our role to prepare, train, build and above all make a positive difference in the lives of our dancers.”  

Jones trained at Center Stage Performing Arts studio for years growing up. During her senior year of high school, she received a scholarship to attend Idyllwild Arts Academy in California. She then worked with Odyssey Dance Theatre in many roles, including as the dance captain. In 2021, she was recognized for her work within the dance community and at Odyssey as she was named Best Of State Individual Dancer.

Bench, who is originally from Draper and graduated from Corner Canyon after attending the Draper campus her senior year, participated in jazz, hip-hop, contemporary, tap, ballet, tumbling and ballroom with The Dance Club. Prior to being at CCHS, she was a member and choreographer of the Alta High Dance Company. She competed for the Utah Valley University dance team for one year and then was president of the 2019 BYU Cougarettes’ jazz and hip-hop national title teams after three years with the squad.

“We are so excited to be coaching this talented team at Corner Canyon,” Nordhoff said. “These dancers are driven, respectful and super talented. We feel lucky to be an influential part of their high school experience.” λ