Editor’s Note:  Saturday at Kimberly the Dance Team qualified for state competition.  Hence, the words of the reporter are prophetic at the end of this story.

The Notre Dame Academy Dance team puts in endless hours of hard work and dedication each week of their year-long season.   

The team consists of 15 girls. The three captains–Tessa Hingtgen, Kennedy Onell and Katja Diestler– have been dancing and competing all their lives and are honored to be leaders on the team this year. Diestler and Hingtgen have been on the dance team for four years, Onell for two.

“To be a captain means you are fully dedicated to the team and willing to take your time and help those who need it. In order to be a captain you need to be a person to set good examples and always come to practice in a good mood and ready to work hard each day,” said Diestler.

The team prepares three dances each season for competitions: Pom, Kick, and Jazz. Other routines are also prepared for sporting events, such as football and basketball.

“Our goal is always to make our next performance better than the last. I’d say improvement is the most important goal, but we have goals like making it to state as well,” said Hingtgen.

The girls explained that their team really grows close throughout each season. “It is quite the time commitment with intense practices, but we treat each other like family and that’s what makes it worthwhile,” said Helen Treankler, a junior.

Being a team that has a season all year round, it is often hard for the girls to find space for their practices. They often end up practicing in the commons of NDA.

“Other schools near us usually have a gym area where they have more room to practice and learn their formations, but we adjust well and practice hard wherever we are,” said Diestler.

The girls have competed in four competitions so far this year. In their most recent competition the girls placed 2nd in Jazz, 5th in Pom, and 3rd in Kick.

The team is competing in regionals Saturday, January 27, in Kimberly, and plan to be competing at state the following weekend in Lacrosse.