LOCATION:

Victor J. Andrew HS. 9001 W. 171st St., Tinley Park, IL 60487

TIME:

Saturday, November 16. Starts at 9, awards scheduled for 3:30

TEAM DIVISIONS:

3A, 2A, 1A, 3A JV, and 2A JV

FAN TIPS:

A few minutes east of LaGrange Rd., a little north of I-80. Lots of parking in the back of the school but probably a long-ish walk to the spectator entrance. Wind through the food and vendors and you’ll get to their recently updated and comfy gym. Definitely one of the more interesting basketball floors in the area. Go north on LaGrange Rd. (US Route 45) and you’ll run into miles and miles of food options. Actually I can’t think of anywhere else in the Chicago suburbs with so many restaurants crammed into one stretch of road!

2018 Andrew comp (credit: Mia Stanek)

2017 Andrew comp. That floor, tho!

2017 Andrew comp. If I could ball, I’d ball on that floor.

The hype is real. Andrew’s always been a 3A giant, but the past couple seasons have been stellar. These dancers are even better this year. Was their amazing stage presence a product of dancing on their home floor? Time will tell, but this dance is probably headed for a Saturday performance in Bloomington.

Providence Catholic’s in 1A this season and their 2nd dance looked large and in charge. Every year, there’s a 1A breakthrough (Jacksonville a few seasons back, Joliet Catholic 2 years ago, Burlington Central last year). This time around it might be this ex-2A team that shakes up the 1A community.

The ‘brook is back! Is it the pants? Nope, it’s the talent and performance factor that makes this hip hop routine really pop out among the 2A contenders. Joining in on the DuPage resurgence in competitive dance, keep an eye on this Willowbrook team this season.

Speaking of the western suburbs, Benet is feeling it right now! A 2nd last week and then a win here at Andrew? It’s officially their breakout season and it’s pretty cool to see them rearrange everyone’s 2A calculations. I saw them do well at conference last January and wondered what they might do in ’19-’20. Now we know…

I couldn’t get enough of Argo’s pom work. Just a feast for any fans of visual routines, an onslaught of colors and creativity. It’s easy to sometimes get a little rough with big costumes and sizable poms, but these dancers don’t do that because they’re well-schooled in sharpness by Coach Palmer (an easy candidate for our 8CA hall of fame). Remember when dance team comps were so fun??? Argo throws it back to that vibe every time they perform, and I thank them for that!

Good things are happening in the far-south suburbs. You’ve seen Bradley-Bourbonnais strive with dark lyrical pieces over the past few seasons, but this time they look like they’re busting into the new season with stronger training, more careful precision, and a lot of ambition. Bradley-B just looks fresher and more poised right now and I hope they can build on that!

Huntley’s hip hop scored better, but I thought that their lyrical was really good and deserves some attention! I just love teams that are so good at things on the opposite ends of the spectrum. And it’s not like their a hip hop team dabbling in another style…these ladies bring a legit lyrical toolbox to the comp floor and it’s fun to watch.

Time for a well-deserved shout out to Shepard on their performance at Andrew. I loved the support I heard from their fans, and these athletes clearly fed off of it. Lots of big, musical movements show their commitment to this routine and each other!

Set aside the scores for a sec because Oswego’s performance shows a ton of promise. These ladies showed up with great choreography and costumes that guarantee visual impact. Pretty, flowing, and emotive–I liked it a lot! I was a big fan of last year’s Oswego team and their perseverance so I’m looking forward to a fine season for the Pantherettes.

For sure, Stevenson dances have “a look.” The Patriettes always bring some twists to their formula each year and their stellar 2nd routine confirms it. Just when you think you’ve seen everything that Stevenson dancers can do, they’ll wow you. I think even the most distracted fan in the bleachers walks away after their routine thinking, “I’m glad I saw that.” Classy dancers, confident execution, and natural artistry.

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