Eisenhower dance teams take two titles, two other top honors

The Eisenhower High School varsity and JV dance teams have received top honors at a national dance tournament, including two first place finishes.

The Eisenhower High School Varsity Dance team earned first place nationally in Hip Hop and second in jazz, with the JV team taking a first place finish in Pom and third in jazz at the University Dance Association’s National Dance Team Championship.

“Once again, our teams never focus on winning. We focus on being ‘IKE’ and performing to the best of our ability with the best choreography both the JV and Varsity can come up with,” said Varsity coach Rachelle Kiehle. “The teams worked very hard to push themselves and try new things this season. Varsity had only 7 vets out there on the nationals floor and the rookies really held their own showing everyone they could do it. I was beyond proud of all of them.”

Both teams went undefeated throughout the season at local competitions in Michigan and also a regional competitions in Chicago.
They also double medaled at the tournament.

This is the ninth year an Eisenhower team has earned entry into the national finals.

To be a finalist, teams had to place among the top three in regional competition and compete in the national semi-finals. Teams are judged by a panel of college coaches and Universal Dance Association top staff and rated on difficulty, technique, and overall performance.

The 17-member Varsity team was coached by Kiehle and the 15-member JV team was coached by Ashley Burnett and Kristie Schmid.

The hip hop competition will air March 22 at 11am on ESPNU varsity and the varsity Jazz competition on April 5 at 11am on ESPNU.