Slideshow 6 extra notes
slide 1: Sandburg
We’ve seen the long-line, artistic, free-form pose in a few routines over the past several seasons and it always looks great. Here’s Sandburg doing it for the home crowd at halftime on December 18th.
slide 2: Riverside-Brookfield
It’s the Pupettes! Across-the-floors are always a good idea during summer practices. I got to visit with these up-and-coming 2A stars back on June 26th.
slide 3: Lisle
Ever stumble across some super-important info just in time? I did when I found out that the Lisle home playoff game would be at Benedictine University, where they always play, back on November 2nd. The team debuted a just-finished pom routine for halftime which they’d later take to nationals.
slide 4: Stevenson comp
I love the look of the chaos before awards at competitions! The Stevenson floor has seen some amazing comps over the years. Here’s the pre-awards dance party back on December 9th in Lincolnshire.
slide 5: Mundelein
Credit these dancers for making the available space work! A small, former church next to the high school was where the MVDT practiced football dances back on a steamy August 14th. Turns are kind of a challenge on that carpet. These ladies were some of the nicest athletes I got to meet this season!
slide 6: St. Charles North
Can’t beat the look of pre-game sideline work! I’m in charge of the banquet slideshow for the North Stars dancers, so I always try to nab some good pictures of their basketball work.
slide 7: Lake Zurich
Back on November 18th at the Mundelein comp, the defending 2A champs were still figuring out their hip hop routine, which would eventually capture the 2A championship in January. I love this shot with the soloists defying gravity and the whole team rocking the cray pants.
slide 8: Highland
I usually wander towards the trophy cases anytime I visit a school. During a break at their comp on February 2nd I stopped by to check out Highland’s hardware. I like this pic because I got it at their home IDTA competition and it shows off how Highland is equally dangerous on the IHSA circuit.
slide 9: St. Ignatius
The Catholic League Dance Championship hosts performed last on January 13th, dancing to an eye-opening 2nd place finish behind Loyola.
slide 10: Libertyville
Are you in passé and don’t have a barre? That’s what folded lunch tables are for! I had a great time hanging out with this team on October 11th. I couldn’t believe how many different activities they crammed into their practice time. I’m giving these ladies and their coaches the Efficiency Award!
slide 11: Summer Tour Part 1
We love road trips! Sometime’s it’s challenging putting together visits and getting schedules to work, but in early July we got to see 3 amazing dance programs in the St. Louis area, plus UDA home routines at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy.
slide 12: Fort Zumwalt West
The day before home routines, the FZW dancers performed for their fans and we got to see this elite jazz team in person!
slide 13: Start The Beat (at Jacksonville)
One of two entries in the JV Small Group category at IDTA’s Start The Beat (a full comp of solos, duets, and groups). The schedule lists the dancers in this group as Maxwell, Kaufman, Taylor, Griffith, Karr, and Burton.
slide 14: UDA camp at St. Charles / Pheasant Run
Elite camp draws some big name teams and their fans. Here’s the scene after final evals on July 1st.
slide 15: Providence Catholic
These days the PCHS dance program is the most potent it’s been since some very good seasons in the late 2000s and early ’10s. This shot captures the Celtic dancers on the marley on Day 1 of IHSA State (they’d finish the evening in 16th).
slide 16: McHenry
This program doesn’t get a ton of attention but their dancers always come out strong every comp season. This snippet is from the Grayslake Central competition on January 13th, the last regular event before sectionals the next weekend.