Du Quoin & Pinckneyville dance teams compete at state

Local high school dance teams--the Du Quoin Indianettes and the Pinckneyville High School Marching Panther Pompon Girls-- competed in the first ever IHSA statedance finals in Bloomington Jan. 25 and Jan. 26. The teams gave great performances, but only Pinckneyville placed, winning sixth.

Thirty squads qualified for state finals and Pinckneyville advanced to the Top 10 from Friday's prelims. The squad competed in the finals on Saturday.

In the IHSA contest all forms of dance (kick, jazz, pom, hip-hop, lyrical) compete in one division. Pinckneyville's routine was their competition kick routine.

The squad will be in competition this Saturday, Feb. 2 in the Marion IDTA Regional Contest. They will perform in jazz, kick and have two soloists, Deanne Brand and Katie Kovic, in the contest as well.

The squad is coached by Rhonda Hicks and Stephen Cannedy. Tawmi Conley is the squad's choreographer. Members of the PCHS Pompon Girls include: Sierra Benbrook, Deanne Brand, Sarah Carlson, Madison Coleman, Haley Johnston. Katie Kovic. Ashley Maxey. Shelby Morgenthaler. Bailey Nippe. Taryn Pabst. Callie Priebe. Alexis Ruffino Emma Smyth. Sydney Stanton. Kaitlyn Sweeney. Jordyn Wieland. Laci Zeidler.

The finals results in Class A IHSA Competitive Dance: 1 - Metro East Luthern High School; 2 - Civic Memorial High School; 3 - Effingham St. Anthony High School; 4 -Streator High School; 5 - Rochelle High School; 6 - Pinckneyville Community High School; 7 - Fieldcrest High School; 8 - Peotone High School; 9 - Murphysboro High School; 10 - Casey/Westfield High School.