Dance team took first place in high kick, pom and lyrical at the annual Kansas City Classic dance competition at Liberty High School Dec. 9.

“It felt amazing to do this well at our first competition because it is an indication of how we will do at regionals and nationals which are coming up as long as we keep pushing ourselves and working hard,” senior captain Alyssa Bolton said.

The Kansas City Classic, hosted by the Liberty High School Sapphires and sponsored by Larkspur Dance and Choreography was comprised of schools within the states of Missouri and Kansas.  The participating varsity teams were divided into five divisions based on school size.  This was the dance team’s first competition of the season.

“[The first competition] was intimidating but so fun too,” freshman Abbie Sinow said.  “It was a lot of pressure because if you make a mistake it could take a severe toll on your overall score, but overall it was a great experience.”

Not only did the team place first in each category that they entered, but they also received a specialty award for choreography for their lyrical routine, according to freshman Kaitlyn Quinn.

“My choreography is usually based on an inspirational piece of music,” dance team coach Shelli Vaughan said.  “When I hear the right song the movements just start to flow in my mind.  I have a general idea of what I would like the dancers to do and I communicate that to them.  The girls then work together to make the routines come to life.”

After a successful first competition, the dance team is looking forward to the rest of the competition season, including the National Dance Team Championship in Florida the first weekend of February.

“I’m looking forward to getting closer with all of my teammates and enjoying my last season on the team,” Bolton said.