The Becker Dazzlers dance team held their annual awards banquet last Friday in the Becker High School North Commons. 

 

The dance team's competitive season ended with the section tournament in January.

 

The annual banquet is a night to celebrate both team and individual successes over the past season.  The north commons was filled with dance team members, coaches, parents and family members. After a meal provided by parents and Booster Club members, the crowd enjoyed a slideshow filled with memories from the past season.

 

Academic awards were presented for the spotlight on scholarship  for high school students with a GPA of 3.0 to 4.0  and for the Granite Ridge Conference Academic Award for high school athletes who lettered with a cumulative GPA of 3.75 or higher. Awarded were Christine Hededam, Mikayla Henkemeyer, Morgan Meyer, Sami Stellmach and Melody Swanson. The Scholar Athlete Award went to Mikayla Henkemeyer.

 

Earning varsity letters this year were Lauren Baloun, Emily Bloom, Christine Hededam, Autumn Martin, Emily Merkley, Madison Pleoger, and Bella Watts. Repeat letter winners were, Mikayla Henkemeyer, Morgan Meyer, Cienna Pleoger, Samantha Stellmach and Melody Swanson. 

 

Awards for "Biggest Leap" were presented to those athletes who showed great progress in all areas over the entire season. This year's recipients were Emma Proefrock and Samantha Stellmach. 

Outstanding Listener Awards went to Lauren Baloun and Grace Schendel. Most improved JV Jazz went to Autumn Martin. Most improved Varsity Jazz went to Bella Watts. Emily Merkley earned the most improved JV Kick, while Christine Hededam earned the Most Improved Varsity Kick.

 

Awards for the Granite Ridge All Conference Team went to Mikayla Henkemyer and Morgan Meyer in both Kick and Jazz. Honorable Mention awards went to Melody Swanson and Cienna Pleoger in Jazz and Christine Hededam and Cienna Pleoger in Kick.

 

Nominated for All State in Jazz was Melody Swanson.  Named to the All State team in Jazz was Cienna Pleoger. Named to the All State Team in Kick were Mikayla Henkemeyer and Morgan Meyer.

The team voted for awards for Hardest Worker, Most Dedicated and Most Valuable Player.  

 

Voted Most Dedicated JV was Grace Schendel while Morgan Meyer earned Most Dedicated Varsity. Hardest Worker JV was Cassidy Pleoger and Hardest Worker Varsity was Madison Pleoger. The MVP award went to Mikayla Henkemeyer for the second year in a row.

 

Last Year, an annual award was created in honor of Brianna Bertram, a team member who passed away in 2014 from complications of Cystic Fibrosis. This award is presented to an athlete who demonstrates, tenacity, persistence,  positive attitude and the ability to overcome obstacles.  This year's recipient was Foreign Exchange Student Christine Hededam. 

 

“I think this award was very fitting for Christine,” said Coach Julie Baloun. “She's not just in a new school, but a new country, living with a new family and on a new team.”  

 

Baloun said Hedeman had never danced in the style of Kick before.  

 

“She started the season on JV, quickly improved and  learned a whole new routine over Christmas break in order to fill a spot on varsity,” Baloun said. “She then had to change her formations again in order to remain on varsity. She worked incredibly hard, remained positive and really earned her spot as well as a lot of respect from her teammates.” 

 

“She set such a great example for this team with her great work ethic,” said Coach Nadia Fischer-Danzeisen. “She was such an awesome addition to this team, I only wish we could have her for more than one season.”

 

This year's team was young and relatively inexperienced with only one senior, one junior, three sophomores, five eight graders and two seventh graders on the varsity teams. Only five of those members danced at the varsity level last season, with one of them missing much of the season due to injury. 

 

“Sports teams always talk about rebuilding seasons, but this season never really felt like that to us,” said Baloun. “This is a group of talented, hard working athletes.”  

 

Baloun says her team held steady in their scores from last year when they had a much more seasoned team. 

 

“The routines this year were fast paced and demanding,” she said. “We incorporated more strengthening and conditioning drills in to our practices to prepare the team to perform these routines at a high level. Hopefully, athletes will use what they have learned over the season to continue to work during the off season.” 

 

Baloun noted there are some advantages to having such a young team. 

 

“It means that next season, the majority of our varsity team will be returning,” she said with enthusiasm. “They should be even more prepared for the demands of this sport as well as ready for the level of competition we face in our conference and section.  I expect to see big improvements in our scores and placements next season.”