UPDATES
FRIDAY 1/3/2020:
Central and East-Central Illinois teams grab the spotlight on Saturday with the big IDTA competition hosted by hip hop legends Villa Grove. Much like other IDTA teams across the south half of Illinois (and some from up north, too!), teams will be looking to qualify for IDTA state and also get valuable feedback during the IHSA category as we roll on toward sectionals in a few weeks.
While solos run on Side B, the comp day starts with the very competitive pom category. Mattoon is solid every year, and Lincoln definitely stood out at IDTA state last February, so you can count on a fierce showdown between them in AA Pom. Lyrical is up next, and in the AAA division it’s Metea Valley hitting the road to face off against Bloomington (also a pretty decent journey for them, too). Opposite side gets to enjoy the pom dance category led by star teams Clinton and Elmwood, two programs you’ll probably see on the IHSA state stage.
Speaking of IHSA, that category runs from 1:00 until past 3:30, so you know there’ll be a bunch of teams itching for feedback and scores against their future sectional foes. Basically a lot of 1A IHSA storylines are going to blossom based on what happens Saturday afternoon at Villa Grove. And facing the other side of the gym are strong jazz teams dancing under the IDTA rubric in single-A–Eureka, Maroa-Forsyth, Clinton, and West Hancock. AA Jazz has perennially impressive Mattoon going up against Charleston, who caught my attention during the last couple seasons!
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!
It’s a Villa Grove comp, so yeah…you’ll get a stellar VG Devilettes hip hop routine! Their middle school’s feeder team always has a fierce hh routine, also. Bishop McNamara takes the ride down I-57 to battle in this entertaining category, while another Chicago area team, Metea Valley, competes in AAA Hip Hop.
THE LOWDOWN
LOCATION:
Villa Grove High School. 400 N. Sycamore, Villa Grove, IL 61956
TIME:
Saturday, January 4. First routine hits the floor at 9, with awards set for around 4:15
TEAM DIVISIONS:
Dance Solos; Pom (AA, A, JV, JH); Lyrical/Contemporary (AAA, AA, A, JV, JH); Pom Dance (AA, A, JH); Production (A); Kick (AA, A, JH); IHSA category; Lyrical Flag (AA); Jazz (AAA, AA, A, JH); Hip Hop (AAA, A, JH)
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