50 | AUGUST 29 • 2024 J
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nnie Klinger was looking to get back
into coaching.
JCC Maccabi Games co-chair Franci
Silver was looking for someone to coach the
Detroit dance team at the upcoming Maccabi
Games hosted by Detroit. She thought Klinger, a
friend’s daughter, would be a good candidate.
It was a perfect match. Klinger accepted
Silver’s offer to be the Detroit dance team coach
late last year. The 11 dancers on Klinger’s team
won 12 medals at the Maccabi Games, held July
28 through Aug. 2.
“It was truly an amazing and fun week. I
couldn’t be more proud of the girls,” Klinger
said. “They’re lovely girls.”
The girls are Emily Anstandig, Lily
Applebaum, Lexi Chismody, Aliyah Cohen,
Layla Johnston, Marni Levine, Lily Liss, Taylor
Lusky, Audrey Schmier, Reyna Schwartzenfeld
and Brielle Winston.
They won eight gold, two silver and two
bronze medals in competitions at the J. Schmier
also earned a midot tovot (good deed) medal.
Klinger, 25, is the youth adviser in the
Department of Youth and Family Living at
Congregation Shaarey Zedek. She’s had the job
for two years. She works with teens and tweens
at the synagogue.
While she doesn’t have experience as a com-
petitive dancer, Klinger was on the North
Farmington High School pom pom team for four
years (2012-16), then she was the coach of the
Farmington United high school pom pom team
from 2017-19 while she was a student at Wayne
State University.
She graduated from Wayne State in 2021 with
a degree in English.
“I really wanted to coach again. I missed it,”
Klinger said. “I didn’t even have to think about
it when Franci asked me to coach the Detroit
dance team. I work with Maccabi Games-age
kids at Shaarey Zedek and, of course, this was an
opportunity to coach Jewish kids at a great event.
“I had a great time. I’d love to coach the
Detroit dance team next year if they’ll have me
back.”
Klinger said talent is just one of the reasons
for her dancers’ medal haul at the Maccabi
Games.
“The girls have a passion for dance,” she said.
“It wasn’t all about winning when they were
competing. They were joyful. They felt good on
stage. They enjoyed dancing because they were
in their element.”
Most of the girls on the Detroit dance team
compete out of area studios.
Anstandig isn’t one of them. The 13-year-old is
a competitive gymnast.
Gymnastics isn’t part of the Maccabi Games,
so Anstandig turned to dance because her
friends Chismody and Cohen, who are competi-
tive dancers, were on the Detroit dance team.
The three girls joined forces in the trio compe-
tition, put in the work, and won a silver medal.
Anstandig also won a gold medal in the group
competition along with all of her teammates.
“Emily did so well for not having competitive
dance experience,” Klinger said. “It gave me
chills watching her.”
The eighth-grader at Walnut Lake Middle
School was modest about her success at the
Maccabi Games.
“Dance isn’t gymnastics, but it’s similar,” she
said. “I thought it would be cool to give it a try.”
She enjoyed the dance competition so much,
she said, that she’s taking advanced “acro” class-
es. Acro combines gymnastics and dance.
As for the Maccabi Games experience, “it was
cool and fun,” she said. “I met a lot of Jewish
kids from all over the world.”
Marni Glowacki was the Detroit dance team’s
assistant coach. Abi Perehodnik served as the
teen assistant.
Send sports news to stevestein502004@yahoo.com.
Coach praises Detroit dance team that sparkled at the JCC Maccabi Games.
‘I Couldn’t Be More Proud’
STEVE STEIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
SPORTS
The 11 Detroit
dancers won 12
medals at the JCC
Maccabi Games.
SUBMITTED PHOTO