WHS dance team headed to state contest
By Greg Seubert
Waupaca High School’s dance team will find itself in a familiar place this weekend.
The 26-member squad will compete Saturday, Feb. 6, at the Wisconsin Association of Cheer/Pom Coaches’ state competition at the La Crosse Center in La Crosse.
Heading to state is nothing new to the team, which has won state championships in Division 2 Jazz and Division 3 Pom in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
The team includes seniors Kira Mielke, Brooklyn Rohloff, Madison Hansen, Nikky Weise, Cheyenne Bennett, Claire Jungers and Kelsey Klismet; juniors Grace Koch, Caroline Ogden, Mackenzie Morey and Hannah Nasberg; sophomores Alyssa Townsend, Bella Udoni, Caitlin Kelly, Katie Schmidt, Sydney Erspamer, Rainy Von Gunten and Hanna Waller; and freshmen Alli Hansen, Sydney Hansen, Elianna Stanchik, Madie Gile, Shyla Kohollek, Delaney Chelberg, Eryn Butzin and Kali Revai.
Amy Marcom has coached the team to 10 state championships over the years.
“I think it’s more about pressure to keep the titles,” she said. “I see so many teams fighting for the first title or ticket to state.”
The team is scheduled to perform its Division 3 Pom routine at 11:48 a.m. and its Division 2 Jazz routine at 2:12 p.m.
Besides winning both events at a regional competition Jan. 30 in Kimberly, the team’s Pom routine placed first at five competitions, while the Jazz routine received four firsts and a second.
The team, along Waupaca Middle School’s dance team, will perform for the public at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 8, in the high school gym.