Sports
Dance Teams from Fridley, Spring Lake Park and Totino-Grace Head to State
Fridley High advanced in high-kick, while Spring Lake Park and Totino-Grace will send teams in high kick and jazz.
Editor's note: It was a big weekend for the Fridley area in dance competition, as five teams from three high schools won berths at this week's state tournament. Fridley, Spring Lake Park and Totino-Grace high-kick teams will compete on Saturday, and Totino-Grace and Spring Lake Park jazz teams will dance for state honors Friday. John Molene was there to see the Spring Lake Park Pantherettes' success at Saturday's sectional competition.
Minnesota high school dance team heavyweight Spring Lake Park batted two-for-two Saturday in the 2011 Section 3AAA dance team tournament, winning team titles in both the high kick and jazz divisions and qualifying for state in both events.
Spring Lake Park was first in the high kick category in the competition at Bloomington Kennedy High School, followed by Centennial and Eagan. In the jazz division, Spring Lake Park was followed by Mounds View and Henry Sibley. The top three teams in each division qualify for the state meet.
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“I’d say we’re pretty much on top of the world right now,” said Spring Lake Park dancer Krysta Williams.
“Our team has become a family and so everything has gotten that much more important to us to do together,” Williams added.
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The Pantherettes will be making a return trip to the state competition after winning three state titles in the past five years.
“Amazing,” said Spring Lake Park co-head coach Emily Yund. When asked how she felt. “Today they danced as one. Yes, they were one dancer out there on the floor today.
Senior experience has boosted the Pantherettes this season.
“It’s one of our bigger groups of seniors on the team this year so that helps with a lot of experience on the team this year,” Yund added.
The 2011 MSHSL state tournament will be held Friday, Feb. 18 and Saturday, Feb. 19 at the Target Center in Minneapolis. The jazz tournament is Friday, with the Class AA/AAA qualifying round starting at 2:15 p.m. On Saturday, the high kick dance tournament for Class AA/AAA teams begins with qualifying at 2:15 p.m.
