Lake Forest Dance Teams Bring Home the Gold

The Lake Forest High School Varsity and Junior Varsity Dance teams each brought home a first-place finish from the recent Universal Dance Association (UDA) Elite Camp in Bloomington, Ill.

The Varsity Dance Team collected first in Home Routine in the Large Varsity Division, which qualifies them for the National Dance Team Championship, Feb. 2-3, at Disney World World Resort in Orlando, Fla.

Their jazz performance to “Royal T”  was choreographed by captains Nikki Landsell, Caroline McGavock and Nicole Vargas. In addition, the team won A routine full out award, B and C superior awards - all blue ribbons, the Leadership Award, the Super Spirit stick on one night and the spirit stick on all nights.

Vargas was chosen Camp Drill Down Queen with second runner-up to Landsell. Landsell, Caroline McGavock, Vargas, Briana Lapetina and Sarah Whitney also auditioned for and made the UDA All-American Team by learning and performing an additional dance.

The varsity is coached by Nikki Lazzaretto and Candice Davenport. The rest of the team includes: Kathleen Kurschner,  Julia Zureikat, Margot Dempsey, Rachel Gaye, Jessie Hennum,  Jennie Lepman, Maddie Neil, Ansley Ashmore, Katie Bertram, Klaire Kaptrosky, Claire Milligan, Clara Reinkemeyer and Maddie Sheridan.

The Junior Varsity Dance team also snared first in Home Routine in the Junior Varsity Division with their jazz performance to “Lost in the Woods”, choreographed by Claire Troller.

In addition, the team won A routine full out award, B and C superior awards and the spirit stick on all nights. LFHS was the only team in the Junior Varsity division to win B and C superior awards.

The team is coached by Samantha Gavigan and Troller. Junior varsity team members include Mikaela Higgins (captain), Katie Kissel (captain), Cheyenne Tilford, Sydney Golde, Taylor Marcusson, Emily Poth, Jianna Santello, Jacqueline Glyman, Elise Kreiling, Alayna Steindl, Nicolette Stern, Olivia Witmer and Jenna Woodrum.

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