Dance & Cheer

Kirkwood Dance Team wins 1st in all routines at virtual competition

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Madison Schuster - Kirkwood Dance Team
Madison Schuster does a leg hold during the dance team’s virtual performance on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020. Photo by Hally Rittmer.

The Kirkwood Community College Dance Team’s first competition of the year took place on Oct. 21.  

The “Stack the Stands” competition was scheduled to be in person, but was later made virtual. Video submissions of each school’s routines were provided and the Eagles recorded their performances a couple days early.  

Although it was an option to record each routine many times and submitting the best one, the Kirkwood team submitted their first run of each routine: hip hop, jazz and pom.  

They even filmed on Facebook live to have a ‘real’ audience. In the Facebook live stream Head Coach Jenny Thielman said, “There was some question about whether or not teams could record and re-record and submit their best video. Well, we’re not going to play that game. We’re doing one and done, baby. It’s just like the real deal. These girls are under pressure just to dance one time and one time only and get it right that time and hope the judges see what we have to offer and score us accordingly.” 

Kirkwood Dance Team
(Pictured front to back) Caitlin Callahan, Lyvia Rock and Madison Schuster do a synchronized tilt jump during the pom routine on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020. Photo Hally Rittmer.

Results came in on Oct. 28 announcing the Eagles as winners in all three categories. Kirkwood also received the Judges Choice Award for their hip hop routine.  

The only other college team to participate was Hawkeye Community College. The judge explained KCC was chosen for the award because “Kirkwood came out fierce with their Beyonce mix. It made me feel like I was watching Beyonce’s ‘Homecoming’. Loved their attack and commitment to the style.”  

The scores were as follows:  

Hip hop  

Kirkwood: 173 

Hawkeye: 152 

Jazz 

Kirkwood: 165 

Hawkeye: 146 

Pom 

Kirkwood:173.5 

Hawkeye: 155 

Coach Thielman said she is proud of her team. “Despite the many challenges COVID-19 has presented for our season, the Kirkwood Dance Team continues to be successful,” she said.  

The team will compete next in the Quad Cities Legacy virtual competition on Nov. 14. A few days later on Nov. 17 the team will perform at Hy-Vee Hall and Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines for the State Competition.  

The Eagles will also perform on Feb. 27 in the Dance Team Union virtual competition. 

Image courtesy of Hally Rittmer

Categories: Dance & Cheer, Sports