Before alumna Taylor Redd started dancing, she was reserved and had stage fright.

“I was shy before I began dancing,” Redd said. “But after a couple [of] years… I broke out of my shell and no longer felt nervous to be in front of a crowd.”

Now, Redd is taking on a new challenge by returning to PHS as a new dance coach.

“It has always been a goal of mine to become a dance coach one day,” Redd said. “Becoming a coach where I went to high school is even better.”

Redd is a sophomore at Pittsburg State University majoring in Elementary Education K-6 and entering her second year on the dance team.

She has 16 years of dance experience in total, including four years in the PHS dance team and theater department. 

In Redd’s senior year, she received the Megan Mallatt Leadership Award in dance.

Redd will join fellow PHS graduate Megan Webb, who has been coaching at PHS for four years. Webb was also Redd’s high school dance coach for her junior and senior years.

“It is great co-coaching with someone who I used to dance for because we were able to connect immediately,” Redd said.

Even though Redd has only been coaching since December, she already has ideas for choreography.

“I plan to highlight the girls’ dance strengths in choreography,” Redd said. “For example, Ellie Carpenter does amazing leg extension turns, and I plan to show that in their dances.”

Sophomore dancer Kiley Mussa is excited for the new coach.

“She’s… very kind towards others and always puts others before herself,” Mussa said. “I feel like [Redd being hired] is going to affect us in a positive way; just having people who are good role models to us.”

Redd is looking forward to this opportunity.

“I am very thankful to be coaching where I went to school and look forward to keeping dance in my life.”