Dance Team: Warriors open Saturday with judged show at Sartell

The Brainerd Warriors dance team will get a jump on its competitive season when it performs Saturday at the Sartell Invite Show.

Brainerd will also perform Saturday at the Warriors' state semifinal football game at U.S. Bank Stadium against Owatonna.

Cindy Clough, beginning her 41st season as the Warriors' head coach, said the invite will be a judged show.

"It's Sartell's fundraising show, but it will give us a read on our scores," she said.

Saturday's show and the U.S. Bank performance will help the Warriors prepare for their Central Lakes Conference opener Nov. 28 at St Cloud Tech.

"We look pretty rough this early, but we have moved mountains," Clough said. "Our routines are harder now than they typically are this early. We usually start out basic and keep enhancing. We decided to make it really difficult right off the bat so it will take a bit longer to clean up. It's a new strategy to push us harder.

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Brainerd Warriors

• Head coach: Cindy Clough, 41st season
• Assistant coaches: Julie Davidge (11th year), Ali Clough-Geraets (11th year), Christina Sanow (11th year), Terri Ebinger (second year as JV coach, formerly six-year varsity assistant), Brianna Niemeyer (JV, third year).
• 2016-17 Section 4-3A finish: Champions in kick, third in jazz
• 2016-17 Class 3A state finishes: fourth in high kick, eighth in jazz
• Captain: Kalie Jeremiason

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"Performing at the stadium will be fun for the girls. The routine, however, is designed for basketball (court) markings, so it will be interesting to see it on the field."

This year the Warriors' holiday show will be after the CLC opener Dec. 2.

"It's better for us if it happens the opposite as we then get some run-throughs before we compete, but that is how it fell," Clough said. "Conference scores are cumulative throughout the season so we hope to come out strong at Tech.

"We feel like we are pushing hard right out of the gate. There is so much pressure during the early portion of the season. Minnesota State High School League rules do not allow choreography out of the season, except the two weeks prior. Getting four routines ready to compete is quite the task. We also do our annual holiday show with an additional routine, so that adds to the pressure."

Brainerd is coming off a first-place finish in kick at the Section 4-3A meet and a third place in jazz. At the 3A state meet, the Warriors placed eighth in jazz and fourth in kick.

Clough said the Warriors, who have been practicing since Oct. 23, graduated several dancers from last year's team. She said the team worked in the off season on pilates with Kari Stengrim and trained for the fall team with Annie Lindberg and Carrie Cowell to perform at football games. They also did ballet with Carlos Stroia and many athletes also danced at the Just For Kix studio all year.

"I feel the core work they have been doing in pilates and ballet will be huge for us," Clough said. "Everything looks better and more in control when the team is stronger. The cardio really helps how they will be able to control moves for the three-minute routine.

"Dance team routines are only three minutes, but extremely strenuous. We really have to train to maintain form. Everything in terms of technique seems to go south when we are not in shape. Hopefully coming in a bit stronger will give us an advantage with less injuries and better control."

Clough said the varsity will be competing a Michael Jackson routine for kick.

"We are very excited about our music, costume and choreography," she said. "We have been studying his movement and trying to incorporate that flavor into our routine."

For jazz, the Warriors are doing a lyrical/contemporary routine to "Breathe Me."

"It is an emotional routine," Clough said. "The style seems to fit well with our group. Their musicality has gotten so good. There was a time when we were stronger in kick than jazz, but that has flipped in the last few years.

"It is rewarding how good we are getting at jazz. The team is landing full-team quint pirouettes. They are also adding acro-dance elements such as walkovers, etc. Our turn sets are getting crazy hard with long sets of A La Secondes (turns in the second

position) with changing spots. We are pretty proud of how far we have come in the jazz category."

The junior varsity will compete with a kick routine to "Little Black Spiders," which is a recycled varsity routine from 2010. Clough said it will be updated and enhanced and shortened as the time limits have changed.

For jazz, the JV will do an Egyptian-thematic jazz routine.

Clough said January will be nonstop activity with six competitions.

"Our goal will be to work hard in December getting choreography and such where we want it in hopes of less changes in January, since we will have no breaks," she said. "Rework is hard when there is no time between meets. If you need to change parts, we need time for the learning and confidence before we are in front of judges again, so we

will try to over-plan this year."

The Warriors will be guest performers in Just For Kix Holiday Shows at 1 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. Dec. 2 at Brainerd High School. They also will compete at Rochester Mayo Dec. 16.

The Kixters were voted the best dance team in Minnesota by WCCO Television.

"That was fun for our kids," Clough said. "A real feel-good moment for them. Often we may not win, but fans will tell us we're the people's choice. It was an honor to win that award."

Warriors roster

Seniors: Davonn Epps, Kalie Jeremiason, Olivia Sedlachek, Marcy Stout

Juniors: Maycie Berg, Lauren Crenna, Courtney Eschenbacher, Lexus Loxterkamp, Taylor Madsen, Olivia Ruhl, Samantha Steichen, Kathryn Sundquist, MacKenzie Grams

Sophomores: Grace Balsley, Makayla Bender, Macy Clough, Kayla Duffney, Mariah Erickson, Madison Leas, Hannah Paysse, Avery Rozinka, Harlie Spieker, Felicity Thorpe

Freshmen: Aftyn Arnold, Emma Buchholz, Sierra Chisholm, Tori Fuhr, Bailey Koop, Chloe Kramer, Lindsie McKusick, Aubri Metz, Grace Papenfuss, Michaela Steichen, Lexi Tihanyi

Eighth-graders: Jada Bentson, Quinn Geraets, Brianna Hansch, India Hiltner, Saydie Olson, Greta Schloemer, Thea Shogren, Abigail Thom

Seventh-graders: Averie George, Semme Hiltner, Emma Kvalevog, Bailey Mackereth

Manager: Mackenzie Grams

Warriors schedule

Nov 18, Judged show at Sartell 6 p.m.

Nov 28, CLC at St. Cloud Tech 7 p.m.

Dec 15, CLC at Rocori 7 p.m.

Dec 16, at Rochester Mayo

Jan 5, Best of the Best at University of Minnesota

Jan 6, at Lakeville South

Jan 12, CLC Championship at Sartell 7 p.m.

Jan 13, at Anoka

Jan 18, at Chaska

Jan 27, at Blaine

Feb 3, Section 4-3A at Forest Lake

Feb 16-17, State tournament at Target Center, Minneapolis