Dancing their way to victory

Positivity was flowing in the veins of Mustangs after the MN dance team came back from Nationals securing 2nd place in Jazz and 5th place in Pom.

MN has always been esteemed as a powerhouse school for dance, but dance team coaches Mila O’Brien and Andrea Feltz are committed to making the close-knit group of girls not only the best that they can be, but also leaders.

“We are for sure in the best place we have ever been.  As coaches and dancers you just learn more and more every year.  You have a better understanding of what it takes to get to the top and you make adjustments,” Feltz said.

With only a one-point difference, the MN dance team finished the national competition in Orlando with a close 2nd in Jazz to Coral Reef High School, a performing arts school in Florida.

Although the team finds success at the national circuit, the team has also found consistent results at State. With the exception of a second place finish in 2011, the last seven years have resulted in first place finishes in both Pom and Jazz. More recently, the team finished the 2016 State competition with yet another championship in both events this February.

Although the MN dance team has a tendency to be successful, the reward is in the hard work the team members put in and the leadership that is evident.

Even newcomers such as freshman Brooke Peterson feel at home in such a welcoming environment.

“Our team this year is so cohesive. We are all really close and we get along really well. I love Ms. Feltz and Ms. O’Brien, they are so easy to relate to!” Peterson said.

These girls are highly trained and qualified for their position on the team. Members like Lundgren and Peterson have been dancing ever since they were in elementary school.

Having gained the most experience, seniors find leadership in the program. Dance team helps in aiding these MN students with life skills such as dedication, hard work, leadership and of course, team work. These are attributes that they can take with them throughout many different fields in life.

“We consider all our seniors co-captains on our team and they all have their strength when it comes to leadership.  All the team members play an important role, because in order to reach our goal, 1st at nationals, every team member needs to be on board,” Feltz said.

Feltz and O’Brien’s goal for the team will not be easy, but with consistent dedication, they hope to reach their first place finish at nationals soon.

Being pleased with the performance the girls put on this year,they can only hope this type of perseverance and hard work maintains a consistency in years to come.

It is said that you earn your trophies in practice and you pick them up at the competition. This statement holds true for the MN dance team as they find success on a consistent basis year after year. Next season will be another opportunity for them to demonstrate their success.