The Minnesota Association of Dance Teams (MADT) held their annual All-State Dance performances at Eden Prairie High School last Saturday.  The Becker Dazzlers dance team sent three girls, Morgan Meyer, Madison Pleoger and Melody Swanson, to participate in the all-state event this year.

 

Coaches from member schools are able to nominate up to four athletes from their team — two in jazz and two in kick.  Nominated from Becker this year were  Meyer and Pleoger in kick and Swanson and Pleoger in jazz. 

 

Along with their nomination forms, coaches are required to send in video of each athlete from one of the seasons competitions. A panel of MADT coaches reviews each video and selections are made for each of division and class. 

 

There were over 200 athletes from all over the state of Minnesota participating this year. Dance Team in Minnesota has three classes and the  Becker athletes competed in  Class AA. 

 

“It was fun to get to dance with other girls from different schools, said junior Swanson. “We worked together to make a routine look like one even though we had different techniques and costumes. It was a great experience to dance with the best of the best and I hope to have the chance to do it again.”

 

About two weeks prior to all-state, chosen athletes are sent video of the two routines they must learn. One routine is the jazz or kick program they perform with other athletes from their class. The other routine is the finale where all the athletes from all three classes take the floor. The dancers also choreograph their own short introduction to perform as they are announced at the beginning of the evening. 

 

On the morning of all-state, all the athletes from all over the state are put into formation and they begin to build a routine that they will perform that evening.

 

“It was so much fun to perform a routine we'd learned in such a short amount of time with some of the best dancers in the state,” said junior Meyer, who was participating for the second time at all-state.

 

“The crowd is literally the most energizing thing and you just can't help but smile when you think of how much everyone loves and appreciates dance,” she said. “It's such an amazing opportunity!”  

 

Freshman Pleoger made her first all-state appearance this year and said, “I'm really glad that I was chosen to be a part of the all-state team because it was a great experience.” 

 

“I had so much fun! It was also really cool to have other girls from the Becker dance team there as well!”

 

Head Coaches Julie Baloun and Nadia Fischer-Danzeisen were proud of their amazing trio.

 

“A lot of hard work goes in to preparing for these performances, but the experience for our athletes is invaluable,” said Baloun. 

 

“The chance to dance next to girls from all over the state in front of a packed house is something they will remember forever.”

 

Baloun says the all-state performances are a nice way to end one season and start looking forward to the next. 

 

“I encourage anyone who has not been to an all-state performance to go and watch,” she said.  “We are so proud of our athletes!”

 

The Becker Dazzlers dance team is looking forward to the 2017 - 2018 season with tryouts taking place today (Saturday).