Hazelwood West Senior Named Drill Down Queen

A senior at has been named the Drill Down Queen by the Universal Dance Association during a recent competition, according to a release from the .

Haley Schuster, a member of the Hazelwood West Pridettes competitive dance team, competed against 200 other girls to win the title.

“Drill downs are simple commands the military uses to train their recruits,” said Lindsay Rose, head coach of the Pridettes. “This is a major accomplishment and we are so proud of her. Haley has come a long way and has become a well-rounded dancer.”

The dance camp, held at St. Louis University, offers dance teams the opportunity to learn new routines that they can use for school events throughout the year. The Pridettes perform at home sporting events and pep assemblies at West.

“The girls work on technique, along with team-building activities,” Rose said, adding that she’s proud of the entire Pridette squad.

“The girls treat every practice as a performance,” she said. “The girls give 110 percent in the classroom, practice and at performances.  Their hard work contributed to our state championship win in 2011.”