Area teams win trophies at state dance competition

DES MOINES – The Creston Salts and Peppers, Creston color guard Mount Ayr Sparks and Southwestern Community College Dazzlers dance teams all brought home top-five trophies from the Iowa State Dance and Drill Team Association team championships at Wells Fargo Arena last week.

The high school team championships, which included 15 different categories, took place Dec. 1-2, with the college championships completed Saturday.

The Creston Peppers competed in three events – lights, jazz and co-ed with the Peppers – receiving Division-I ratings in all three events. That made the team eligible for top-five trophies in each event.

The Salts and Peppers finished third in the Small School co-ed category, earning a trophy.

“Co-ed routine is always fun because you just never know from one minute to the next between the girls really wanting to dance and the guys kind of wanting to dance but kind of embarrassed but kind of wanting to do good,” said Kalian Smith, Creston Peppers coach. “We did several lifts, which just wows the audience to watch the kids do them.”

One lift in the routine was known as the flying eagle, which was an assisted straddle jump for the girl, but her partner tosses her into the air and catches her by the legs as she rolls forward, grabs her partner’s legs and then comes out.

“It’s this really cool thing and each time we’ve performed it, someone in the audience that’s watched has screamed because it seriously looks like they’re going to drop the girls,” Smith said. “But it’s really fun to do.”

The Creston Peppers consists of 17 girls, each with a partner for the co-ed routine. The Peppers will perform their Christmas routine during Tuesday’s varsity boys home basketball game.

Creston also brought home a fourth-place trophy from the Class II color guard competition.

Meanwhile, the Mount Ayr Sparks dance team won a pair of trophies.

The Sparks won the Class IV pom competition for the second straight year and finished third in the Class I kick event.

Both the Creston Peppers and the Mount Ayr Sparks will perform at southwest Iowa day at the Drake basketball games Jan. 8.

Saturday was Southwestern’s turn to compete in the college championships.

The Dazzlers picked up three third-place trophies in the community college division.

The Dazzlers finished third in hip hop, between ties for first place and second place, tied for third with Kirkwood Community College in jazz and tied for third with North Iowa Area Community College in pom.

“For pom, I would say that one was our hardest one. It takes a lot of energy out of the girls. The pom is what stands out in the dance, so if somebody is off, you’ll notice,” said Kaeleigh Ballentine, Dazzlers coach. “For jazz, it was really just all about cleanliness. Hip hop, I think that was the hardest one to get all together because it’s so technical and you really have to pop every movement.”

Ballentine said her team has placed in the pom competition before, but has had other dance routines compete and not receive Division-I ratings.

“This was the best we’ve ever done,” she said. “That was awesome to see. The girls really felt good about it because they know they’re bringing the SWCC dance team up a level. I’m really proud of the girls and all their hard work this season.”

Ballentine said winning three trophies at the state competition could help her program grow.

“It’ll help a lot just to know some high schools were up there watching,” she said. “When they watch awards and see who places, they have an interest in going to that school.”