Dance team rocks it at first competition

Hannah Nicholas, Staff Reporter
February 2, 2012
Filed under Sports

    At the invitational competition at Hanford High School on Saturday, Jan. 14, the Kamiakin Dance Team competed in the Dance (also called Jazz) and Hip Hop categories.

    Junior Celina Duncan says both routines went very well, even though the lights accidentally shut off during their Jazz routine. “Even when the lights went out on us during Jazz, we didn’t even flinch and boosted up our power. And in Hip Hop, we got that feeling when you run off the floor and know you did the best you’ve ever done it and the crowd loved it.”

    At the competition, there were 10 teams in addition to Kamiakin that attended and competed in the Pom, Military, Show, Hip Hop, Kick, and Jazz categories. Kamiakin competed against Mt. Spokane, Pasco, Quincy, Kennewick, and Sunnyside in Hip Hop and against Hanford and Richland in Jazz. Kamiakin placed first in Jazz and fourth in Hip Hop, but they hope to improve the Hip Hop placement at their next competition.

    Freshman Alyssa Bills says, “We worked extremely hard to get that first. I think we deserved it. I wish we could’ve placed in Hip Hop though. But we will work hard and place at the next competition.”

    To prepare for the competition, the team has been attending practices both on the weekends and after school during the week as well. Their practices during the week are two and half hours long, and the practices on the weekends are three or four hours long. At all practices, the team works on improving their muscle strength and endurance, cardio endurance, dance technique, and their two competition routines.

     Senior Rachael Brooks says she thinks competitions this year will be much better than last year. “This year we’re a lot more organized. We know what to expect, and our coach is there for us. She puts pressure on us, but it’s positive pressure.”
    The next competition the dance team will attend is at Richland High School on Saturday, Feb. 4.

    Many team members, including Bills, are excited for the event. “I am extremely excited for the next competition. Our team had a lot of fun at the first one!”