UPDATES
WEDNESDAY 12/4/19:
The Illinois Drill Team Association’s comp season launches on Saturday at Gardner-South Wilmington in Chicago’s far, far southwest suburbs. If you’re not familiar with IDTA, they’re the state’s oldest dance team competition organization and have crowned category champions for the past 40 seasons. Since the IHSA era started in 2012, IDTA competitions feature an IHSA category with judges going off of an IHSA rubric. You’ll often see teams dance a routine in this category and again in an IDTA category at another point of the day!
5 solo dancers compete for IDTA state spots before team competition begins around 9:56. TF South will be one to watch especially after a good performance at last weekend’s Oak Forest IHSA comp. They’re one of four teams in the AAA Hip Hop category. Seneca (1A in IHSA) has been an excellent program for the past few years in IDTA and made a name for themselves in IHSA in recent seasons; they lead the way in the always competitive A Jazz category (“single A” for you newbies out there).
Eight teams go head-to-head in the IHSA category including Lyons Township, who are no strangers to the IHSA state stage. Coal City did nice work last Sunday at Oak Forest and fans will see them dance again under the IHSA rubric alongside TF South, Seneca, Thornton, Rich South, Crete-Monee, and hosts Gardner-South Wilmington. After that, IDTA category competition resumes under the IDTA rubric for these teams in the Lyrical, Pom Dance, and Pom categories among others.
THE LOWDOWN
LOCATION:
Gardner-South Wilmington High School. 500 E. Main St., Gardner IL 60424
TIME:
Saturday, December 7. Dances start at 9:08 with awards around 3:45
TEAM DIVISIONS:
Flag Solo, Dance Solo; JV Kick; JH Hip Hop, A Hip Hop, AAA Hip Hop, JV Tall Flag; A Tall Flag; A Jazz; JV Lyrical, AA Lyrical, AAA Lyrical, A Lyrical, JH Pom Dance, JV Pom Dance, A Pom Dance, AAA Pom Dance, AA Pom, A Pom, and the IHSA category
FAN TIPS:
Gardner is way out there, but still in that Chicagoland orbit. Still, it’s legit small-town feels. GSW has hosted this December IDTA comp for several years and by all accounts run it smoothly!
HIGHLIGHTS
(Check back early during the week of 12/9)
ILLINOIS DANCERS
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: 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: 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: 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
(coming soon)
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