This year Lincoln-Way Central High School sent another team to the ISHA State Competition. The 2015-16 Rhythm Knight’s Dance Team worked hard throughout its season to achieve its goal of going to State.  The teams’ season started off a little rocky, with problems mastering the hip hop feel and also mastering the skills needed for the dance.  The girls on the team referred to themselves as the “Dream Team,” because this was the same team that was the 2013-14 sophomore competition dance team that went on to win Conference.

The juniors on the team were so driven by the idea of going to State. Many of the girls practiced constantly to improve their skills.  This is because their coach, Alina Garcia, put a lot of headstalls, turns and flips into the routine to raise the difficulty level.  Many girls did not have a headstall flip at the beginning of the season.  They worked every practice and even on their own time to get the skill.  By the middle of the season, the girls had this skill, plus many more.  Each competition that the team performed in, the teams’ score improved and they went from the bottom to the top of the ranks.  One of the girls said, “Our dance now, if you saw it before, looks nothing like the dance we performed at our 1^st competition.  But all I can say is that it changed for the better because we went to State!!!”  At Conference the team got 3^rd place, only .7 points away from 2^nd place.  Then Sectionals came and went and the team received 6^th place, which meant they were given the golden ticket to State.

The day came when the team would take the 2 hour bus ride down to Bloomington to compete for that trophy. The girls arrived at Lincoln-Way Central to receive a pep talk from Principal Dr. Provis.  One of the girls said all she could think about after his speech was that he said, “When you get down there, let everyone know how proud and happy you are to be there competing.”  The girls arrived down at Bloomington very excited.  Then after all day waiting, the time came to perform.  As the girls waited back stage, the adrenaline started building up.  The nerves were let loose to only drive the girls to do their best in the next two minutes of their lives.  After their performance, the girls were so ecstatic by how good their performance was.  Now the waiting game for the awards began.

The time for the awards came. The girls made a connected circle by crossing their arms and holding onto one others’ hands.   Senior Bree told the girls that if they don’t place in the top ten, she will love them no matter what because of how much they had achieved in the season.  Even though the girls did not place in the top 10, they are all winners. The girls kept working toward their dream and didn’t give up.  They made it to STATE!