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By NOAH WORTHAM | Managing Editor

ORLANDO, Fla. – Grateful tears streamed down faces as screams of joy echoed about as the members of the Helena Dance Team knew that their hard work had finally paid off.

The Helena Dance Team recently returned from the National Dance Team Championship at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida after winning second place in Large Varsity Kick DII and fourth in the Large Varsity Game Day DII.

“We were so excited about our placements at this year’s nationals,” said Jenni Russell, Helena High School dance team coach. “This is the highest placement we have ever received and the first time we have received a medal. Only the Top 3 teams in each category get a medal. We also had never even made finals in Game Day, so to not only make finals and then place fourth was really special for our team.”

During the annual competition, hundreds of teams from across the U.S. compete with several rounds of competition. Starting on Friday, Jan. 31, the Helena Dance Team competed in both Game Day and High Kick. After semi-finals, the number of teams are reduced by half for the final round. The Helena Dance Team was named a finalist for the first time in the group’s history and got the opportunity to compete on Saturday, Feb. 1 in the final rounds of competition.

“It is a long weekend full of practicing and competing, but it is also our favorite event of the year and when we really bond as a team,” Russell said.

The Helena Dance Team’s Game Day routine was comprised of three different components, including a fight song, spirit raising and a performance routine.

“Our Game Day routine is a reflection of our school and community,” Russell said. “Each routine is meant to engage the crowd and show what our team would look like on a Game Day. We use signs and do chants to engage the crowd throughout the performance. Our Game Day routine looks different than most because we perform with our band.”

The Helena Dance Team’s high kick routine utilized different elements of dance while incorporating kick lines throughout and for the high kick category, each routine had to have 60 kicks performed by at least half of the team.

“We love competing in kick because we can incorporate different styles of dance and also showcase our kick technique,” Russell said.

Russell said that the team was overjoyed to be able to make it into finals for the first time and that the milestone alone was impressive due to the competitive nature of the competition.

“I do not think we ever go into any competition confident that we will win. That is really not how dance or competition works,” Russell said. “We go into each competition with the mindset that we are going to leave it all on the floor. If we go out there and give our best performance and are proud of what we do, then that is all we can ask for. Dance is extremely subjective and it would be extremely naive to go into a competition thinking you will win. At the end of our performances we were proud of what we did and how we performed, so even before awards were announced we felt like we had won.”

Russell said that she finds the Helena Dance Team program to be extremely important and shared that it teaches valuable lessons to the students.

“I think that being a part of the team gives these girls a sense of belonging and community,” Russell said. “ It also teaches them the importance of hard work and determination. Dance is not easy and balancing dance and school is even more difficult. The skills these girls are learning are going to help them as they enter college and the workforce. Many of them are also dancing collegiately and as a part of UDA (Universal Dance Association) staff. Not only does this program benefit them in high school, but it also is beneficial for their life after high school.”

Russell has been the only coach of the Helena Dance Team since 2014 and shared that she’s been able to watch the program’s progress from competing in local events, to getting last at nationals the first year the team went to now getting a medal and being double finalists this year.

“I do want to make sure that the 18 girls on the team get credit for their hard work and effort,” Russell said. “These girls practice year round. They support other teams, perform at community events and most of the time do not get the recognition they deserve. I am so proud of these girls and our program. They are truly the best representatives of our school. I cannot take the credit for the success of this program because without the dedication of the team we would not have achieved what we did this year.”