High school dancers make their moves
<p>Katie Herby performs a jump with the Coeur d’Alene High School Vikettes dance team Saturday as regional teams compete in the hiphop category to qualify for the state competition.</p>
<p>Shelby Senn of Lakeland Hawk Synergy dance team leaps into the air, assisted by Alyssa Adams, left, during the props category of the state qualifying dance competition Saturday at Coeur d’Alene High School.</p>
<p>Lake City Hawk Synergy dancers Heather Shields, left, Shelby Senn, middle, and Hannah Price practice their kick routine Saturday before competing for a chance to go to state.</p>
<p>Krissy McCaughan, right, laughs as Shelby Hartline helps her put on the Coeur d’Alene Vikettes hip hop outfit Saturday as the team gets ready to compete against regional High School dance teams for a shot at qualifying for the state competition.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - Six high school dance teams went toe-to-toe to put on quite a show during the Districts 1 and 2 state qualifier in the Coeur d'Alene High School gymnasium on Saturday.
Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, Bonners Ferry, Lakeland, Orofino and Sandpoint high schools competed with military, kick, dance, hip-hop and prop routines. They were judged on choreography, execution, showmanship, appearance and difficulty. The Post Falls, Bonners and Sandpoint teams achieved Grand Champion status, securing them the opportunities to compete in the state tournament.
"We're going to dance our hearts out," said Post Falls senior and dance team captain Briana Barnhill before the competition. "Leave it all on the dance floor. We're going to state."
Barnhill, 17, and the Lady Trojans have previously competed in the state tournament. She said it's a great bonding experience for the team and a stress-free performance.
"That's what we've been waiting for all year," she said. "And now we can perform like it's our last performance, and we can start training again for next year."
CHS senior and Vikette captain Krissy McCaughan, 18, has danced all through high school. She wore a white leotard, baby blue skirt and tiara as she performed her solo dance to "Cinderella" by Steven Curtis Chapman while her proud mom Julie watched from the front of the spectator-filled bleachers. Krissy said she'll miss her teammates when she graduates.
"You learn how to deal with each other, because you do get annoyed, a lot," she said with a laugh. "You learn their pet peeves and you learn to work around it and to be a team together."
The Vikettes went through a tumultuous time, losing eight of their original members and getting a new coach fairly recently. With just six members, they are a tight-knit group.
"They're my best friends, just because we've been through so much together," Krissy said. "We're not just a team, we are a family."
And the camaraderie was overwhelmingly apparent with every team, as they hugged each other, shrieked with excitement after performances and assisted with each other's appearances.
"I've always wanted one of those relationships with that group of girls where we all do things together and now I have that, and it's the best thing ever," said Vikette freshman Madison Murray, 15.
Lakeland senior Emily Welter, 17, is the captain of the Hawk Synergy dance team. For their prop dance, they donned glittery cabaret outfits and executed smooth moves around chairs.
"After going to the other competitions and seeing how we've improved and come so far since the very beginning, I really think that they're just going out there to have fun and hope for the best," Emily said.
The teams ranged in size from six to more than 15, but each team contributed a unique style and execution to each dance category.
"They work so hard," said tournament director Lisa Walker, mentioning that Sandpoint dancers practice at 6 a.m. each day. "They put so much time and energy into it."
Walker said she thought the event went smoothly and the teams all performed really well.
"I really liked Lakeland's hip-hop routine," she said. "I'm not particularly a hip-hop fan, but when it's done really well, it's like (thumbs up)."