TDI State ’14: Team Histories In Each Category
A look at the teams competing at the Team Dance Illinois state competition this weekend and their state rankings since 2007
OPEN DANCE
1A open dance will spotlight three teams with excellent records in that category at TDI State. Civic Memorial (last year’s winner) owns 1st place open dance trophies going back to 2010 (yes, 4 championships in a row), plus a 3rd in 2008. Genoa-Kingston has a pair of 3rd place rankings for 2012 and ’13. Mahomet-Seymour’s open dance performances date all the way back to TDI’s first state contest in February of 2007, where they were the inaugural AA open dance champions. They’ve competed in this category at state each year except for 2009, and were last year’s 1A open dance runner-up. That makes for a long history of 13 open dance routines for these three teams at TDI State.
Batavia leads the way in past state appearances for this year’s 2A open dance teams with 5, including a 2nd place in 2009 and a 3rd last year. Larkin has danced four times in this category including their famous turnaround from 12th in 2011 (as a AAA team) to winning 3A in 2012, plus a runner-up position last year. St. Francis has competed three times in open dance including 3rd place finishes (in class A) in ’09 and ’10. Aurora Central Catholic has a 2nd place to its credit (2009) along with a 4th (2010). Triad has just one TDI State open dance routine in its history–and they’re the defending champs. All five teams boast a combined 15 state open dance routines in TDI’s history.
We’ll have a new champion in 3A open dance with defending champs Stevenson not in the field. We’ll also have a first-time winner. O’Fallon danced in this category at TDI State in ’10, ’12, and last year. Oswego last competed in this category in 2010, and Bartlett’s one appearance dates back to 2008. Wheaton Warrenville South has three open dance appearances (2008, 2012, and last year). This year’s winner will also be able to say they’ve made a big leap at TDI State: among their combined eight open dance appearances, none has finished higher than 5th (Wheaton Warrenville South, 2012).
POM
Just two teams make up this year’s 1A pom field. Civic Memorial makes its pom debut at TDI State, while Sunday’s performance will be Fieldcrest’s 8th consecutive appearance in the category. Their long record includes back-to-back championships in 2012 and ’13.
Over in 2A pom, this year’s teams share a history of 16 pom routines at TDI State. Defending champs Montini have ruled the category consistently since TDI’s debut in 2007, including championships in 2010, 2011, and 2013 (all other years they were the runner-ups). Hinsdale South has a four-year record going back to 2010, with 3 years in a row of 3rd place finishes between 2011 and 2013. Argo’s signature pom style has appeared five times, including a 3rd in ’09 and a 4th last year.
3A pom is a pretty straightforward affair with Wheaton Warrenville South as the only entry (defending champs Glenbard North are not in the field this time). WWS has a solid record in 3A pom, including the 2010 championship, a 3rd in 2011, and a 2nd in 2013.
KICK
This year’s 1A kick teams feature Fieldcrest, the 2012 champion and last year’s runner-up. Also competing will be Jersey, who finished 3rd a year ago, while Marquette makes its TDI state debut in this category. Not competing is last year’s 1A kick winner, Streator.
Sunday’s 2A kick teams have a rich history at TDI State, but none have won the category. With last year’s winner (Plainfield North) not in the field this time, 2A kick will not only have a new champion, but also a first-time kick winner. Argo has competed in kick at state every season since 2009, with a best finish of 2nd in 2012 when they were briefly in 3A. Collinsville has a strong record at state where they finished 2nd a year ago, 3rd in 2012 (in 3A), 2nd in 2011, and 3rd in 2010. Hinsdale South earned a 3rd place finish in 2013, plus a 6th in 2010. Oak Forest first offered up a state kick routine in 2009 and got 5th, and then came back in 2011 with a 9th place finish. In 2012 and ’13, Oak Forest came in 4th both times. These four teams have performed a combined 16 kick routines at TDI State going back to 2008.
3A kick is a whole ‘nother story–with defending champions Stevenson not in this year’s field, it’s the only category without a qualifying team this season.
HIP HOP
Bishop McNamara had a good weekend at IHSA State just over a month ago and look to defend their TDI hip hop title this weekend (and that 2013 championship was in the crowded 2A field, which makes it even more impressive). Bishop Mac’s TDI history extends back to 2008, with a 2nd in ’09 and the 1st place trophy in 2011. Dupo finished 4th a year ago but claimed the 1A hip hop title in 2011. Jersey’s history in this category stretches from ’09 to ’13 (with a break in 2012), including a couple of 3rds in 2010 and last year. Morris boasts an amazing record: between ’08 and ’13, they won the title four times and finished 2nd the other two times. Marquette Catholic makes its TDI State hip hop debut this weekend. All together, Bishop Mac, Dupo, Jersey, and Morris have 16 state hip hop appearances to their credit, including seven championships.
Those 1A teams may have more combined past championships, but the 2A hip hop teams have more combined state experience: an astonishing 29 hip hop routines since 2007. Defending champions Eisenhower have competed in hip hop each year since ’09, including 1st place titles in their first two seasons at TDI State. Aurora Central Catholic doesn’t have a championship yet but does have a pair of 2nds (’10, and then ’13 as class 1A), plus a pair of 3rds (’09 and also as a class A team in ’11). Triad was the 2013 runner up and finished 4th in 2012. The two schools from Normal share nine apperances in hip hop at TDI State. Last year was the best showing for either school: Normal West came home in 6th, and Normal Community earned a 4th. Jones College Prep has three appearances to its credit (highest: 9th in 2011), and Batavia has danced twice in this category (2008, and then a 5th in 2011). IMSA made a splash in IDTA’s hip hop category in ’06 and then followed that up with TDI’s inaugural 2A hip hop championship in 2007. They came back the next year and then again in 2012 (7th).
3A hip hop will crown a new champion in the absence of Glenbard North, last year’s winner. Bartlett has the most TDI State experience with appearances dating back to TDI’s first season, including the inaugural 3A hip hop title in 2007, a 3rd in 2012, and a 2nd last year. In contrast, Elgin and Niles North make their first-ever TDI state appearances (in any category) this weekend. Niles West improved their 2011 hip hop debut with an 8th place finish in 2012. Whitney Young will dance its 6th consecutive state routine on Sunday, and they were the 2012 hip hop champions in the short-lived 4A division. Not counting newbies Elgin and Niles North, this year’s 3A hip hop field has 14 routines’ worth of state hip hop experience in TDI.
OPEN POM
In 1A open pom, Jacksonville has three previous state appearances including a 3rd in 2010, followed by a 4th the next year. Morris enjoys an exemplary state record in this category: starting in ’08, the team has won this category in every season (except for a 3rd in 2012 when they were in 2A). That’s five state championships in open pom, a remarkable feat considering this will be TDI’s eighth state contest.
This year’s 2A open pom teams have a combined 19 previous routines at TDI State, but just 1 championship. That belongs to defending champs Montini, who have competed in this category in every season since TDI’s first state competition in 2007. Their record features four 2nd-place finishes plus a pair of 4ths. Oak Forest competed in this category in ’08 and then returned last season for a 3rd place finish. Batavia started with a 5th in ’08 but have since finished 3rd twice and 2nd twice, including a runner-up position in 2013. Collinsville’s open pom record features five appearances dating back to 2008 with a highest finish of 3rd in 2011.
3A open pom gets a new champion this year with defending champs Downers Grove South not competing. Among this year’s teams, the last championship belongs to St. Charles North (3A open pom winners in 2009 and the inaugural TDI champs in ’07). The North Stars also have a 3rd to their credit from 2008. South Elgin’s first TDI State open pom routine was last year’s 7th place finish. Willowbrook’s category record at state includes a 4th, 5th, and another 4th (2010, ’12, and ’13). This weekend will be Lyons Township’s first appearance in open pom at TDI State.
LYRICAL
When it comes to 1A lyrical, the conversation has to start with Civic Memorial. The Pazzazz Dance Team debuted in 1A lyrical at TDI State in 2008 and danced to an astounding six consecutive championships in this category (including a couple instances as a AA / 2A team). Genoa-Kingston has a 4th from last year. Mahomet-Seymour were TDI’s inaugural 1A lyrical champs in ’07 and have competed in this category at state every year since (including a 2nd and two 3rd-place finishes). Although the stats are more than a little skewed, it’s a fact that this year’s 1A teams have seven lyrical championships among their 14 previous state lyrical routines, most of them belonging to Civic Memorial.
The 2A lyrical field includes defending champion Larkin, who also have a 2nd place to their credit (2012) and three more appearances before that. Joliet Catholic came in 3rd a year ago in its only category appearance. Normal Community’s been to this party five times before (2009-2013) with a highest placement of 4th in 2011. St. Francis danced in 2A lyrical at the 2008 state contest and came home 4th.
Last year’s 3A lyrical winner, St. Charles North, have come to Peoria with a routine in this category in every single year since TDI debuted in the ’06-’07 season. Their outstanding record boasts four championships (’08, ’10, ’12, and ’13) and three runner-up finishes. South Elgin’s competed with a lyrical state routine in 2012 when they earned a 5th. Oswego has three previous lyrical performances at TDI State (5th in 2010, 3rd in 2011, and 5th in 2012). O’Fallon’s brought a lyrical to state each of the past two seasons, 4th place being its most recent ranking. Sunday will be the first TDI State lyrical routine for Lyons Township.
GRAND CHAMPIONS
With Stevenson not at TDI State, 3A will have a new grand champion by Sunday night. The varsity Patriettes were also AAA grand champions in 2010. Montini looks to defend its 2A grand championship from 2013. Civic Memorial were the 2013 1A grand champions and previously won the honor in 2011.