Hazel Park Dance Teams Rock Port Huron Competition
(Crystal A. Proxmire Feb. 19, 2014)
Hazel Park’s dance troupes The Hazelettes, The Parkerettes, and The Vikettes showed off their skills and took home several awards in the Showcase America Unlimited Invitational Competition at Port Huron North High on Feb. 15.
Coach Kayla Hendrickson of the Hazelettes led dancers Kayla Alkatib, Kayla Baughman, Caysea Daniel- Courtney Halleck, Jacy Hammonds, Chloe Herron, Mary Kohl, Stella McCrystal, Kaylie Thomas- Brooklyn Weiss, and Liyah Wilson to several victories.
The elementary-level team won High Superior 1st place in Lyrical Jazz, Hip Hop and Officer Line. They got High Superior 2nd place in Pom. Plus they won the Specialty Award picked by judges for having best all-around best choreography, costumes, showmanship, and positive attitudes.
Kayla Alkatib received two amazing dancer awards from two different teams. As well as the coveted Showcase Star ribbon and 1st place award for her solo.
Jacy Hammonds received a High Superior ribbon 3rd place for her solo and Liyah Wilson received High Superior ribbon 4th place for her solo. Chloe Herron and Mary Kohl took 3rd place for their duet performance.
The Parkerettes competed at the Jr. High School level, receiving High Superiors in every category and improving their scores in each dance from a minimum of 6 points to 26 points from the last competition. They placed first in every category according to their size division, while placing 2nd overall in the Lyrical category and 3rd in the Pom, Jazz and Hip Hop categories. Eighth graders Canela Clark, Imani Green, Hailey Graham, Adrienne Kohl, Janice Jenkins, Katie Ritter, and Sammi Richardson, Seventh Graders Faith Aquino, Shaniya Clark, Olivia Fortress, Abby Hajduk, Lara Hollifield, Rebekah Jones, and Faith Laframboise, and Sixth graders Farrah Aquino, Hayley Feltner, Anasia Green, Brenna Henderson, Ashley Mathews, Karissa Medulla, and Samantha Smith were led to victory by coach Stephanie Martin under the direction of Lisa Bean.
At the high school level, the Vikettes did also claimed several honors. They placed first in the Kick competition overall, and in Pom and Hip Hop they placed second overall. In Jazz they placed 2nd in their size division and 3rd overall, and in Lyrical they placed 2nd in their size division and 4th overall.
Soloist Monica Beam a High Superior rating and placed 3rd in Saturday’s competition. Fifteen young ladies make up the Vikettes team: Seniors Paige Campbell, Elizabeth Dubrul, Tabitha Laframboise, Junior Ariah Pettit, Sophomores Brooke Buckner, Sydney Herzog, Jasmine Layne, Daisy Poe, and Freshmen Madison Ballard, Monica Bean, Emily Blazejewski, Makenzy Herman, and Rachel Jones. The Captains are Alicia Churchill (Senior) as Captain, and Bailey Graef (Junior), and they too are coached by Stephanie Martin.
The Starlets are the primary grade team for Hazel Park. They brought home Superior placement in Jazz High Superior in Pom. They also earned second place both dances and a high point trophy in Pom.
The teams are supported by the HP Dance Boosters, and the young performers train together each year at Camp Hazelwood.
The young ladies will go on to compete in the State competition on March 1 which takes place in Hazel Park.