---

Last Saturday as you walked closer to the Chisago Lakes high school new gym, one could hear the bass of the music. Approaching closer, one could hear the 1,000 fans screaming as their favorite dance team competed at the Section 3AA Dance Team Championship competition. The Chisago Lakes Dance Team had drawn to be first in a line of ten teams competing for one of the four teams out of our section to win a trip to compete at the big State competition next weekend.

As the CLHS team marched precisely together onto the floor, the roar of their supportive fans became deafening. Their performance was electrifying, powerful and precise. Following their dance, the girls, Coach Bennett, and the fans knew - it was one of their best performance’s this year. Jazz Funk competition teams were Sartell-St. Stephen, Detroit Lakes, Sauk Rapids-Rice (third), St. Cloud Cathedral-(first), North Branch, Duluth Denfeld, Duluth Central, Duluth East (second), Crookston, and Chisago Lakes won fourth and a trip to compete at state!

“State is going to rock. Even though we had the best performance of the season at our section meet, it was not the score or the placement we were working for.  The important this is that we did it,” said Angie Bennett, Chisago Lakes dance team head coach. “We’re going to work hard this week and really show them at state what this team is made of.   I'm so proud of the girls for the hard work and accomplishments we've made this year.  We said at the beginning of the season that we weren't ever going to leave the floor this year without having our name announced, and we did it. We want to take that same attitude into the  state meet next week and really tear it up.” 

The CLHS team has had a strong season bringing home a trophy from every single competition. The strength runs throughout the whole team. As a team, they demand 100 percent from each member and each team member demands 110 percent of themselves. They expect painfully hard workouts and the determination to progress towards nothing less than perfection. they are the true team -every coach’s dream team.

The team members are: Seniors-Erika Erlandson-captain, Emily Palmquist-captain, Ashley Hensel, Aileen Beam, and Kitty Johnson; Juniors-Erin Eastman, Kara Orwoll, Lauren Trudeau, and Brooke Ammerman; Sophomores-Carlee Ulvestad, Becky Trippler, and Diane Hague. And of course, the team would not be anywhere today without their biggest supporter - Coach Angie Bennett!

State Dance Team Meet

When: Saturday

Where: Xcel Energy Center

Time: Chisago Lakes is scheduled to perform at 4:05 pm. Fans are encouraged to show up by 3:30 pm.

---