March 29, 2024

Four dancers selected for All-Iowa Honor Dance Team

Four local dancers were honored with the opportunity to participate in the All-Iowa Honor Dance Team for 2021. Olivia Aker and Morgan Ratliff of Baxter and Morgan Beener and Brooke Pease from Colfax-Mingo were among the more than 235 dancers performing in the one-of-a-kind year.

“We are incredibly blessed the All-Iowa staff was able to safely make this opportunity happen,” C-M Coach Cassidy Booher said. “Very proud of my girls and I’m already looking forward to more trying out and hopefully getting to experience this next year.”

A tradition for 40 years at the Girls’ State Basketball Tournament, this year the team is unable to perform during the championships due to COVID restrictions. Instead, dancers from 90 Iowa high schools gathered Feb. 22 to learn the entire show and then pre-record the performance.

The dancers on the All-Iowa Honor team were chosen based on ability, attitude, dedication and leadership qualities. Less than half of the 520 dancers who auditioned virtually last fall were selected to perform.

To watch the team, tune in during the 4A championship game halftime and the 1A championship game halftime Saturday. The 4A game starts at 1:30 p.m. while the 1A game tips off at 6:30 p.m. and will be broadcasted on Iowa PBS.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com