Bulldog dance team will perform at state competition next week
MFL MarMac Bulldog Dance Team members include (front, left to right) Avery Ihde, Rose Grau, coach Kelli Saxe, Lexy Johnson, Scotlyn Coenen; (middle) Isabella Bogdonovich, Kadence Pape, Kaylee Bachman, Savannah Schaller; (back) Kaylee Neuhring, Mallory Lang, Mikayla Morrissey and Hailee Corlett. (Photo by Micah Lynn Photography)
New dates and format changes have not changed the fact that Iowa is home to the largest high school dance team competition in the country. Normally taking place in early December, the Iowa State Dance and Drill Team Association’s (ISDTA) Iowa High School and College State Dance Team Championship has been moved up to Nov. 17-19. The 45th annual competition will see the team and solo championships combined and increased from two days of dancing to three.
“This spring it became clear many aspects of a typical dance season would need to be reimagined; practice, competition and routine choreography would need to be different,” said ISDTA Executive Director Andrea Dana. “ISDTA is focused on preserving the state experience, while ensuring teams and soloists and ISDTA staff and the association remained safe, and creating opportunity out of the challenges COVID-19 has presented.”
Taking place at Wells Fargo Arena and Hy-Vee Hall in downtown Des Moines, team competition categories include pom, hip hop, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, military, kick, hoopla, lights, novelty, prop, color guard, all male, co-ed and show production. Teams and soloists are divided into classes based on school enrollment. They are evaluated and judged by industry professionals from all corners of the United States.
Seventeen college teams and 235 high school teams make up the nearly 500 routines plus 780 solos that will be performed in a three-day period. Teams and soloists earn points for choreography, execution, difficulty and showmanship.
Among the teams will be the MFL MarMac Bulldog Dance Team, which will have three performances at state this year. The group will compete in Class IV pom and small school hoopla, and junior Kaylee Bachman will compete with a solo. This is the first time in school history that the team will compete in hoopla and Bachman is the first soloist to compete.
The team had less time to prepare this year because the competition was moved up three weeks, according to coach Kelli Saxe. There are a lot of new team members who are less experienced, several girls missed the once-a-week practices due to COVID-related contacts or illnesses and Saxe has been recovering from knee surgery.
“So we have had to overcome a lot of obstacles to get ready for state this year,” Saxe said. “The girls have worked extremely hard, putting in time outside of our practices, to help catch up those who’ve missed practices and to make sure everyone knows their choreography well. I am extremely nervous and excited to see them perform their entertaining routines at this year’s state competition.”
The dancers are just as excited.
“I’m so proud of our team’s progress and I’m excited to see how well we perform at state,” said senior Avery Ihde.
“I’m very grateful to get to experience state one last time, especially in the times we’re in right now,” added senior Rose Grau. “When we perform our two routines, our hard work will not go unnoticed.”
For senior Scotlyn Coenen, this is her second year on the dance team. She said last year’s state experience was one she will never forget.
“It is such a great time to grow relationships with the other girls and really get to know each other,” Coenen remarked. “As a senior, this is my last year and I want to make it as memorable as possible.”
Performers will take the floor at Wells Fargo Arena and Hy-Vee Hall beginning Tuesday morning, Nov. 17 at 8 a.m., and will continue through Thursday evening. Tickets to attend in person and live stream access will be available to prepurchase, and information will be posted at www.isdta.net. Spectators will be required to wear a mask while in the venues. Competitors must also wear a mask except while performing. A complete list of participating schools and a schedule of performances can be viewed at www.isdta.net/pages/resources.
According to Dana, the award ceremony portion of competition will also look different this year.
“In order to maintain ISDTA’s high standards of competition, we have invited our judges to evaluate virtually,” said Dana. “Because of this, ISDTA will host a virtual awards ceremony Saturday, Dec. 5 at 1 p.m.”
