Dancing Through State: A recap of how the dance and cheer teams performed at their state competitions

The Lancer Dancers placed third in the state on Nov. 17-18, improving from previous years, where they received fifth place. Cheer didn’t place in the finals at state. 

Dance got third place with 84.33 points, following Mill Valley in second and Olathe Northwest in first.

Points are earned by fulfilling each of five categories worth 10 points each, such as how loud chants are or how clean the routine is. Deductions are taken for mistakes made during the performance.

According to team captain and senior Marin McElhinney, leading her team at state was an unforgettable and joyful experience as younger dancers looked up to her.

“I know that state is so nerve-racking, and you can feel the tension of all the other teams, but our team did a really good job of making it fun,” McElhinney said. “We were obviously very focused, but the team energy was so positive and determined and fun, and I think that really contributed to how well we performed.”

Cheer didn’t make it to finals at state but will still be attending nationals this coming January in Dallas, Texas. According to Head Coach MKilar Otte, state cheer and national cheer are very different, and state cheer isn’t a prerequisite to nationals.

“State competitions are very different from nationals,” Otte said. “Nationals are more all-star cheer, whereas state is gameday, but we love the feedback from the state, and it also informs us and gives us as coaches an opportunity to grow.” 

According to Otte, the program’s competition team will now shift its attention to perfecting their routine for nationals after qualifying with a third place regional finish.