All the Right Moves: Dance team places high in two categories at State

Jordyn Carias/Staff Writer
The CFHS dance team turned in top notch performances at the State Dance Competition Friday, Dec. 5. One hundred eighty teams performed original dances over separate divisions. The CFHS dance team competed in pom, co-ed and hip-hop.
The team placed 3rd in pom. They achieved class one along with 11 other teams also in division 12. The CFHS dance team has never placed top five in this category.
The team also was rewarded with 2nd in hip-hop. The team placed 5th in this category last year.

“The teams in our division are all very good, so to place is such an accomplishment. All the teams in our pom division received division one ratings, which means their average score from the judges was within 10 points of perfect. It is very difficult to predict who will place. All we can do is hope the judges and crowd like what we have put together. Our goal was to place top five in at least one dance; so to place top three in two dances is amazing,” competition coach Jodi Mehmen said.

The Pom dance contained songs like “Pumpin’ Up The Party” by Hannah Montana and “Move It Like This (Shake It Like That)” by Baha Men.

“I was really proud of all the girls and most importantly thought we worked together as a team to perform our best. I had a good feeling we would place after our performance, but definitely not before,” senior dance team member Mackensie Smith said.

Three hours later the team competed for co-ed. Senior dance team member Sam Jones said, “I was really nervous, butterflies in the stomach and everything. All of the guys were feeling the same because we had never done this before.”

The dance included M.C. Hammer’s “Can’t Touch This” and “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)” by CC Music Factory.

“I am always a little nervous before the girls perform. We just wanted them leave the dance floor without regret. We told them to dance like they do at practice; as a family,” Mehmen said.
Hip-Hop included songs like “Hey Baby” by Bow Wow, Missy Elliot’s “Chingaling” and “Move Shake Drop” by Pitbull ft. DJ Laz.

Sophomore dance team member Casey Robins said, “We were pretty stoked for the girls. They all wanted to win, and it was important for them, especially for the seniors. They did a lot better than they thought they would.”

Cedar Falls also received an award for community service.

Mehmen said, “I am such a believer in the Cedar Falls Dance Team. I was on the team in high school and love coaching next to my former coach Gayle Bruene and former teammate Afton Wilson. The three of us have such a passion for dance and this program. We are thankful to have supportive parents and very lucky to have such dedicated girls. They really know the definition of a team, and they consider their teammates their sisters. I think that is what separates them from the other teams. I am so proud of each girl and cannot believe how far they have come since we started in April.”