Dancers win big at Laramie competition

The Green River High School Wolf Pack Dance Team brought home several wins after competing at the 7,220 Spirit Championships at the University of Wyoming last weekend.

The dancers won Judges' Choice, Best Technique and Most Creative Transitions and Formations, as well as placing first in the Hip Hop Division. Freshman Kyra Olsen also won two medals competing in individual pirouette competitions.

"Traditionally it's been for cheer and this was the first year they invited dance to be there," Assistant Coach Christine Peterson said of the competition.

Peterson said the competition still consisted mostly of cheer teams and there weren't many dance teams present, especially since some of the dance teams planning to be there had to drop out. In the end, only GRHS and Laramie High School actually had dance teams compete. However, the pirouette competition included students from both cheer and dance.

Wolf Pack Head Coach Debi Kovick and Peterson traveled to Laramie to attend the 7,220 competition with 10 of their 14 dance team members.

"A lot of them are freshmen, which is pretty cool, that they're already very talented," Peterson noted of the dancers.

Tata Chemicals sponsored the team by donating the fee for competing, Peterson said. Peterson also explained the dance team has been taking gymnastic classes from the city of Green River taught by coaches Amanda Finch and Grace Watts.

"This has been a huge asset to the team this season," Peterson said. "This has given the  dancers the ability to practice the acrobatic elements within state routines with trained and skilled instructors. The dancers have progressed so much in their gymnastic abilities."

The 7,220 Spirit Championship provided good practice for the Wyoming State Spirit Competition, giving the team a chance to perform their routine in competition.

"We actually took down our hip hop that we are preparing for state," Peterson said. The routine was choreographed by Haley Revelli of Rock Springs and the music was compiled by GRHS Theater Director Bradlee Skinner. The dance team has been working on the routine since June.

The state competition will be held in Casper at the end of January, when the Wolf Pack will compete in the 3A division in the jazz and hip hop categories.