Dance team: Elks are section high-kick champs, state next

  Sun 6/30/2013

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Elk River Dance Team including senior Ellie Vondenkamp (middle) and Allie Warner (front), performed their gladiator-themed high kick in their home gym for sectionals and won the championship. (Photo by Bruce Strand) 

by Bruce Strabdm Sports editor

Elk River Dance Team carries a we-came, we-saw, we-conquered aura with its gladiator-themed high-kick routine this year. The ERDT made its biggest conquest Saturday, marauding their way to the  Section 4AAA championship in that event on their home court.

"We felt like we were really prepared," said Destiny Lovelette, ERDT senior co-captain. "It's a little nerve-wracking today because the section is the biggest meet, but we were pretty confident."

With 12 schools on hand for the extravaganza hosted by ERHS for the third straight year, the ERDT hoped to also advance in jazz-funk as well and performed well in that event, too.  However, they were not one of the top three picked for state, finishing behind Blaine, Anoka and Brainerd.The ERDT placed fourth.

 

ERDT got in formation and unleashed some kicks during the high-kick competiton which they won. (Photo by Bob Burley)

"I think we had good performances in both dances today," said assistant coach Katie Bruck. "The competition was really, really tough. I think the teams that went on deserved to go on. With Anoka (in jazz), we have been going back and forth with them, and it was going to be whoever brought it today. They did a good job."

State high-kick competition will be held Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Target Center, beginning 2:30 p.m.

Based on conference and invitational results prior to sectionals, the ERDT appeared to have the best shot at taking high-kick.
 

The ERDT gathered for parents to take team photos. (Photo by Bob Burley)

But it all depends on how you do that day, and what this particular set of judges thinks.

"Absolutely, that's how it is, especially with the caliber of teams in our section," said coach Becky Burley. "There are still things that we need to work on, but I was incredibly proud of them.

"This is a young team, you know, with a lot of rookies. About half the girls on kick are rookies. They have been through a lot of meets but nothing of this level. There's added stress at the section meet."

The ERDT delivered a nice jazz performance at the Section 4AAA meet but didn't place.

The ERDT's top competition in high kick were runner-up Brainerd and third-place St. Cloud Tech.

Lovelette, asked what the judges like about the ERDT this year, speculated: "I think they liked how our dance was different than everyone else's. We had our soldiers theme, our warriors theme. I think it really stuck with them and made an impact."

The Elks have made "state" in high keep even seerens This was the final home meet not only for eight seniors but also for Coach Burley, who has announced that she'll step down after this season. She has coached the ERDT for about 20 years, but started a dance studio two years ago that takes much of her time.

"It was hard for her to pick a year to leave," said Katie Burley, the coach's daughter and the other co-captain, "because she loves all the kids so much. It's especially hard this year because we are all so close, like family .... It's great that we are able to go all out (to state) like this in her last year."

The ERDT's jazz routine was its best of the year, said Coach Burley, but not quite enough. She added that the scoring was very close between the 3-4-5 teams as behind runner-up Anoka, a team they have both beaten and lost to in conference meets, but took it in stride.

Blaine captured the jazz-funk championship.

"I think there were six good teams that could have  taken the three spots," said Lovelette. "We put everything we had on the floor. It's best we have done. We could not have done anything more. So there are no regrets."

The Blaine Bengalettes, coached by Trina Develice, won the jazz-funk championship. However, the Bengalettes were very disappointed to miss out in high-kick. Their kick routine with its baseball uniforms theme has been very well-received, but Elk River, Brainerd and St. Cloud Tech got higher marks on this day.

The other big winner was Brainerd, which advanced in both dances. Coached by Cindy Clough, Brainerd was runner-up in high-kick with a spider theme to the music of "Spider," and placed third in jazz, dancing to Eleanor Rigby. Their captain is Brittney Schubert.

For one ERDT kick line member, Sadie Martin, this will be her second activity reaching the state met. Martin, a sophomore, qualified individually in golf last spring, placing 69th.

"This is super exciting," said Martin. "Now I get to go with my team and have other girls experience it with me."

Co-captains Destiny Lovelett (left) and Katie Burley held their team's high-kick championship trophy. (Photo by Bob Burley)

The ERDT, which placed third overall in the NW Suburban Conference, and second in high-kick, had been encouraged by its showing at the Wayzata Invitational two weeks ago. They placed third in a big field in high-kick, beating Blaine, Brainerd and Tech.

"After that," said Katie Burley,  "we knew what we needed to do."

Contact/Location

Julie Jones
ELK RIVER, MN
715-857-5505