The Loyola dance team has become one of the best high school programs in Illinois in recent years. The Ramblerettes qualify for the Universal Dance Association national championship with regularity and, as Loyola coach Cindy McLean said recently, they seem to make finals at nationals every other year.
This was one of those years Loyola reached nationals, but not finals at nationals.
“It makes the girls stronger when we don’t get in,” McLean said via email. “They are really hungry for that call into the finals the next year. I’m just so proud of them whether they advance or not.”
The Ramblerettes didn’t advance past the semifinals in the large varsity divisions of jazz and pom in Orlando, Fla., but they still attended finals early on the morning of Sunday, Jan. 31. Loyola was there to watch Maine South perform its high-kick routine. The Hawkettes finished second to Seminole of Sanford, Fla., which has won five straight national championships in high kick.
Maine South also is among the best dance teams in the state, but the relationship between the Hawkettes and Ramblerettes is friendly and supportive. That was obvious moments after Maine South finished its high-kick routine.
More Top Picks Best Architect Desk Lamps For Eye Care
“After we performed, the girls get to watch their routine on a video in a private viewing area before they get to go out and see their parents and everything,” Maine South coach Jackie Graney said. “In the middle of my speech — of course you get emotional as a coach because 10 months of your season just ends on that 1:58 — Loyola’s dance team coach, Cindy McLean, came running out and was crying, and congratulated us. [She] said that it was the best thing she’s seen, and the entire Loyola dance team was cheering for us. That means more than anything that could happen this weekend, is having other Illinois dance coaches cheering us on. We’re all rooting for each other.”
New Trier
The New Trier dance team earned a score of 77.90 in the hip-hop division at the Universal Dance Association national championship on Saturday, Jan. 30. It finished ninth out of 10 teams in its semifinal, but coach Bryce Curry said his team’s score was its highest of the season.
New Trier performed its best in Orlando, Fla., in part because of the setting.
“We don’t often see teams that are that talented, or … that good,” Curry said. “That’s one thing that helps, just with motivation and being inspired.”
Curry’s message before New Trier performed also seemed to help put his dancers in a good frame of mind, he said.
“I told them, ‘All I wanted to see, all Heather [Wiggins, New Trier’s assistant coach] wanted to see, was just for them go as full out as possible — and to put 100 percent effort in, have fun and let the outcome go from there,’ ” Curry said. “The dance already looked good. They performed it so many times [in practice]. But we’ve never seen it that good. It was really great for us to watch.”
Eric Van Dril is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter: @VanDrilSports