Poms takes third place at IHSA competition

The varsity dance team competed against local schools in an IHSA competition on Sunday, December 7.

The team took first and third place for their two different routines at the competition which was hosted in the field house.

The girls’ pom routine placed first out of all of the other teams for their pom routine with no deductions. The team also placed third for their hip hop routine due to a five point deduction for an illegal trick consisting of a lift where girls ran underneath the dancer in the air.

Melanie Candelaria, dance coach, said she was unhappy with the deduction of points for their hip hop routine. When competing at a previous competition at Fremd High School with the same routine there was no deduction for using the trick.

Results aside, the girls’ performance on Sunday was okay, Candelaria said, but not their best.

“I think [the girls] did a good job. There was good energy and in hip hop their levels were great. However, their tricks could have been better and in pom the arms should’ve been sharper,” Candelaria said.

Alison Dust, senior captain, also thought the performance should have been stronger. Compared to previous competitions, Dust thought the team did not give their best performance.

“We did good, but our tricks individually need some work. The head stunts were off a little in hip hop,” Dust said.

However, spectators believed the girls’ performance was stronger than what Dust gives the team credit for.

“The pom’s [team] did fabulous, however, my judgment says that there shouldn’t have been a deduction,” said Cora Sadowski, freshman who was cheering on the team from the bleachers.  The moves were executed in [the] routine[s] perfectly.”