Have you ever wondered what it is like to become National Champions in an activity you’re passionate about? The Riverside High School dance team and their coaches, Penny Lindsey and McKell Smith, know this feeling and are still trying to come down from the feeling of victory at such a momentous level. According to Coach Lindsey, the journey to become National Champions was not easy or without bumps in the road.
“RHS dance has always had a strong competition in the hip-hop category, and we never dreamed we would not only win the national championship but win it in jazz,” said Lindsey. Coming out of the state competition, the RHS dance team had a girl quit, causing the team to rework the choreography before heading to Orlando. Once in Orlando for the competition, the coaches realized that they had one trick that was against the rules, causing them to rework their routine yet again, this time in the lobby and yard of their hotel. Coming out of the semi-final round at the competition, RHS dance was 9th out of 28 in hip-hop and 8th out of 17 in jazz. There were only eight groups that made it to finals in jazz. “Backstage, we kept telling the girls that we’re here, we made it to finals, but our goal was to place better than 8th in finals,” said Lindsey of their goals. The girls made several goals and decisions as a team if they made those goals.
The RHS dance team and their coaches agreed to dye the hair at the beck blue if they made the top five in finals, something that everyone held to as soon as they got home. The girls decided they wanted a banner to be hung in the halls of RHS, and their coaches agreed to get one if they made it to finals. Coaches Lindsey and Smith agreed to get the girls medals if they placed in the top three. “We never imagined in our wildest dreams that we would go from 8th place, barely making finals, to winning the entire thing. This is my 16th year coaching, and I never dreamed I’d have a white jacket (which is given to only the national champions),” said Ms. Penny. The girls got a banner, medals, AND a white jacket and are now looking for rings!
Currently, the RHS dance team is raising money to purchase championship rings for these girls and their coaches and return to Nationals next year to defend their title. If you would like to be part of this program and to celebrate this hard-fought championship and never-before-done feat, you can send donations to RHS, ATNN: Penny Lindsey, or see any dance parent or coach to donate! We are so proud of this team and their accomplishment! Help us celebrate these girls and their coaches!
