MFL MarMac dancers audition for All-Iowa Honor Team
Dancers from the MFL MarMac Bulldog dance team attended the All-Iowa Honor Dance Team auditions at Berg Middle School in Newton on Aug. 23. Over 500 dancers from 110 high schools across Iowa auditioned. Dancers (from left to right) are Madison Eilers, Kiarra Young, Madison O’Connell, Mariah Moser and Lauryn Johnson.
By Kaitlyn Kuehl-Berns | Times-Register
Five dancers from the MFL MarMac Bulldog Dance Team traveled to Berg Middle School in Newton on Aug. 23 to represent their team at the All-Iowa Honor Dance Team auditions.
Dancers in attendance included Madison Eilers, Lauryn Johnson, Mariah Moser, Madison O’Connell and Kiarra Young.
For the 45th year, the All-Iowa Honor Dance Team will highlight top dancers from high schools across the state. Each August, over 500 athletes audition for the 200 coveted positions on the team.
All high school dance teams who are members of the Iowa Dance/Drill Team Association can select up to eight athletes to audition. This year, 110 high schools were represented.
For the Bulldog Dance Team, this was their first time attending. Coach Kelli Saxe said the auditions and other Iowa State Dance/Drill Team Association events operate like a “well-oiled machine.”
Saxe said, “It was amazing to see how easily [the auditions] were managed and organized.”
The team was surprised to see the amount of girls from across the state in attendance. Eilers felt the pressure and competitive environment was familiar, explaining, “It was similar to our state dance team contest but instead you’re on your own and trying out individually.”
Johnson described the challenge: “We learned the dances in a very short amount of time. You don’t get the time to go over it a ton like we would in practice.”
For Young, the experience also helped grow her confidence in learning choreography. She shared, “It was the quickest I’ve ever learned three routines.”
Tryouts consisted of performing three, one-minute-long routines in the styles of hip-hop, kick and pom.
Saxe praised the positive atmosphere and commented on the cooperation of dancers, saying, “It was fun seeing girls who did not know each other work together and push each other to perform at their best.”
Moser echoed that sentiment. A standout moment for her was “getting to meet the girls around me and hearing about their different dance experiences.”
O’Connell offered advice to underclassmen trying out in the future, advising them to “Stretch a good amount the days leading up to tryouts, work on your sharpness and always be confident.”
Those selected for the team will meet in Des Moines in the first week of March for rehearsals prior to their performance at the championship game of the boys state basketball tournament. Dancers will find out their results in October.
Reflecting on the notable moment for the Bulldog dance program, Moser said, “It was such a great experience. I hope I set an example for my teammates in the future to step outside their comfort zone and audition.”
Saxe said, “It was an enjoyable experience and one that brought everyone closer together. Whether we have girls qualify for the team or not, it was a positive experience.”
