The Silver Stars dance team competed at their State competition in Kansas City on Feb. 24-25 at Hy-Vee Arena. The team placed second in Division four pom and Division four precision jazz. Head Coach Erin Taylor said she was proud of the performance the girls competed at state but that the team was slightly disappointed with the outcome on the score sheets.

“[The] overall outcome of the performances I am super proud of. We did amazing, [it was] probably one of our best performances at competition level all year. The scores did not necessarily reflect how we thought we had performed. So, we are slightly disappointed but that is how dance works, and it’s not always in our control. What we can control is what we do on the floor,” Taylor said.

She said the team stuck with all of their cleans and changes that they worked on and put their best on the floor.

“We performed really well. We made all of the changes and cleans that we worked on after Nationals to move into State. We were really thrilled with our performances,” Taylor said.

Team member, sophomore Amelia Lechner said the team set goals like hitting turns, talking as a group, feeling the energy, and using faces.

“I think that we accomplished most of the goals that we wanted to, for our pom dance. We talked about hitting our turns sharply and really talking to each other and feeling each other’s energy during the dance. We also focused on faces,” Lechner said.

Lechner said before performing she was nervous but ready. She said as a team everyone put out their personal best and that she felt good about what she put on the floor. Although disappointed with second place, she said she felt good about the routines overall and knew she did everything she could have.

“[Before going on] I was nervous but also ready. After performing I felt really good and I felt proud because I did my personal best and so did everyone else. I was a little disappointed with placing, but also we knew we did everything we could and there was nothing we could really change about what we did,” Lechner said.

Four-year team member senior Brynn Branscum said the team was always supportive of one another and they put their best effort into this last dance of the season.

“I think we are a very supportive group and we all work really well together to do our best,” Branscum said.

Before dancing, Branscum said she was nervous and excited.

“To perform [at] State, I was very confident in my team and I was excited. I was also sad because it was my last one but I was definitely very happy to perform with my friends and teammates for the last time”

After dancing she said she felt many different emotions but overall was very happy and proud with the work she and the rest of the team put in all season.

“I felt a lot of emotions. I felt accomplished and I felt proud. And I was really just proud of the work my teammates put in” Branscum said.

Branscum said the teams support for one another and connection as a group made the season more fun and enjoyable to go through together and finish off her senior season.

“I think the season went pretty good. I think we all got really close this season which made it a lot more enjoyable. We were all really supportive and connected and that made it all a lot more fun to go through this season with competitions and other events,” Branscum said.