UPDATES
FRIDAY 1/3/2020:
Teams across southern Illinois and the St. Louis area have had their eye on this comp all winter, and. you can bet that these coaches and dancers used their winter break time wisely. Belleville East hosts this huge competition every January (very fitting for such a huge school). While teams up north have battled throughout November and December, teams down south have had a somewhat lighter schedule…until now!
Saturday at Belleville East starts the real separation where you’ll start to more clearly see who are the state contenders, the hopefuls, and the longer shots. Teams will be looking to qualify for IDTA state (about six weeks away), and for those that have already qualified, it’s a chance at more feedback and running any changes. Many of these teams also have an eye on getting more judge critiques in the IHSA category (we’re only a few weeks from sectionals!).
Soloists take the left side of the schedule during the first block, while a fierce lyrical/contemporary battle goes down on the other half of the sheet. In triple-A, it’s hosts Belleville East under first year coach Sarah Pugh going one-on-one with O’Fallon. Local faves Highland and Triad, along with southern Illinois stars Marion, make up the AA field in lyrical.
And then it gets way serious after the first break. Belleville East, West, and the Kahoks from Collinsville go for top honors in AAA Jazz. Facing the other side of the gym is the hip hop category led by Centralia, who made sure the whole state knew about them at IHSA state a year ago. Next up is AA jazz, loaded with Murphysboro, Triad, Highland, and the return of legendary Civic Memorial.
The huge IHSA category (yup, Chicago-area teams, it’s the IHSA rubric and IHSA judges) runs from 12:48 through 3:12. Marion, Murphysboro, Centralia, and Triad each will run two routines. Teams like Chester, DuQuoin, Carterville, Pinckneyville, 8CA friends Roxana, and others make up the IHSA group. On the other side is a multitude of pom dance routines. Dupo definitely knows their pom work, and the same goes for lyrical and jazz masters Highland!
THE LOWDOWN
LOCATION:
Belleville East High School. 2555 West Blvd., Belleville, IL 62221
TIME:
Saturday, January 4. Dances routines start at 9 and awards are scheduled for 4:00
TEAM DIVISIONS:
Dance Solos; Lyrical/Contemporary (AAA, AA, A, JV, JH); Jazz (AAA, AA, A, JV, JH); Hip Hop (AA, A, JH); Kick (AA, JV, JH); IHSA category; Pom Dance (AAA, AA, A, JV, JH), Pom (A, JH), Tall Flags (AA), Lyrical Flag (AA)
ILLINOIS DANCERS
Up Next: Sailorettes welcome teams to their end-of-break battle
1.3.20
A couple 3A and a fun assortment of 1A and 2A teams converge on Argo’s unique gym [more]
Up Next: Chi-area teams prep for two state contests
1.3.20
Maine East’s beautiful, old building hosts Chicago area teams dancing under both rubrics [more]
Up Next: east siiiddee!!!! gets the spotlight
1.3.20
Time for Central and East Central IL to shine at VG as winter break wraps up [more]
Up Next: southern IL and STL-area wrap up break
1.3.20
Big day at Belleville East is a major test for both IDTA and IHSA routines [more]
Up Next: day-to-night action in the ‘shire
12.13.19
Mid-December tradition continues at SHS with elite lineup [more]
Up Next: big-name teams meet up at the edge of the Chicago metro
12.13.19
Tasty blend of IHSA / IDTA-focused teams make up the field at Seneca [more]
Up Next: Central IL teams converge on the Peoria area
12.13.19
IDTA / IHSA action heats up in the middle of the state [more]
Up Next: STL’s ready to rumble
12.13.19
Illinois’ southern and St. Louis area teams go at it at the Althoff IDTA comp [more]
Up Next: 3A doin’ work at Dub V
12.13.19
Roll up your sleeves, 3A, ’cause it just got serious [more]
Up Next: Saturday morning showdown at DeKalb
12.13.19
With sectional assignments posted, 1A and 2A teams start the match-up game at DeKalb [more]
Up Next: cozy gym and amazing 2A teams at CL Central’s comp
12.04.19
The floor, the fieldhouse, and the school have tons of vintage character for an amazing group of teams at CLC [more]
Up Next: category awards back for 1 day at an IHSA comp
12.04.19
Amazing gym, category awards, and one of IL’s most popular teams at the GBS comp [more]
Up Next: 3A champs host on Sunday
12.04.19
GW vs LWC, new stuff from LP, and probable excellence from so many others at Naperville North [more]
Up Next: IDTA season launches at GSW
12.04.19
Some prominent IHSA teams join in on the fun at Gardner-South Wilmington [more]
Up Next: a crazy talented split schedule at Minooka
12.04.19
Who needs an IHSA state crystal ball to look into the future when you can just come to the Minooka comp? [more]
Up Next: modern dance, vintage gym, great hosts at Batavia
12.04.19
Chi-area teams from the central and far west suburbs meet up [more]
Up Next: the 2A champs host a huge showdown
12.04.19
Big name teams battle for 2A prestige at Lake Zurich [more]
Up Next: 2A in the morning, 3A and 1A in the pm
11.28.19
Props to these teams for dancing at the end of Thanksgiving weekend [more]
Up Next: an afternoon-only sesh at Deerfield
11.20.19
After your morning at Libertyville, head 11 miles south for part 2 at Deerfield! [more]
Up Next: a morning-only sesh at Libertyville
11.20.19
Preview and fan tips from the host team! [more]
DANCERS EVERYWHERE
Iowa’s state contest: from an IL point of view
1.4.20
Part 1 of our look at Iowa’s dance scene viewed from Illinois [more]
[instagram-feed]