Souhegan High hosts first New Hampshire dance team competition

Published: Thursday, March 26, 2009

Not many people can say they’ve ever been to a dance team competition, let alone one in New Hampshire.

But last weekend, Souhegan High School hosted the first New Hampshire High School Dance Team Competition, drawing enthusiastic dancers and excited crowds from all over southern New Hampshire.

Bedford and Con-Val joined in the excitement while bringing their own unique styles to Souhegan’s gym. The event was competitive, but also an incredible amount of fun.

Senior Micayla Gilligan, who attended the event, enthusiastically said the competition was “so good.”

Stephanie O’Rourke, another senior attendee, added that although she enjoyed all the styles, she particularly thought “Con-Val was very interesting.”

Senior Chandler Wallisch enjoyed the audience size, adding, “I’m glad a large crowd came to support the dance team. They usually don’t get that much support.”

Wallisch, Gilligan and O’Rourke joined friends and classmates to enjoy the spectacle of costumes and dance moves that made this event the first, and it’s hoped not the last, New Hampshire Dance Team Competition.

As this was just that - a competition - there was a winner. It wasn’t all about the trophies, and more the experience, but Souhegan did walk away with the most trophies. It took the categories of Pump It Up, Jazz and Hip Hop. Bedford came in second with trophies in Captain’s Choice and Soloist.

Although Con-Val technically didn’t win any trophies, it was commonly agreed that had there been an award for performance and enthusiasm, they would have won, no contest.

The overall trophy went to the home team, Souhegan, with captain Nicole Ford accepting the biggest prize. But in this competition, a winner wasn’t the biggest concern. It was the recognition of dance as a legitimate activity - even sport - that drew all the crowds.