H-M-S Dance Attack hunting down hardware at state

Members of H-M-S Dance Attack are hoping to add to their trophy case next week.

The team will perform at the 49th annual Iowa High School and College State Dance Team Championships in Des Moines Dec. 4-6. More than 600 routines will be performed at the event, which is held in Wells Fargo Arena and Hy-Vee Hall.

H-M-S Dance Attack will perform in four categories: Hoopla Class I, Lights, The M.I.X. and Hip Hop Class III.

Coach Brittany Dolphin was excited for the opportunity to compete among the state's best.

"Heading to state dance is always a mix of emotions – nervous, excited and sad to see my seniors perform at state one last time," she said. "I'm proud of how far my team has come and how hard they've worked, and can't wait to see them give it their all."

H-M-S Dance Attack is comprised of 15 dancers, including four seniors: Jamie Diaz, Lainie Raveling, Colie Tifft and Megan Otto. Last year the team won fourth place finishes in Class 1 Hoopla and Class 1 Novelty, and also third place in the Lights category.

"Sending four routines this year instead of our usual three has really shown how much these girls are dedicated to dance and how much extra work they were willing to put in," said Dolphin, who's in her eighth year of coaching.

Dolphin also noted that H-M-S Dance Attack received a Distinguished Academic Award for holding a group GPA above 3.5.

This year's competition will feature 25 college teams and 250 high school teams. Teams and soloists are divided into classes based on school enrollment. Performers earn points for choreography, execution, difficulty, and showmanship. Routines are evaluated and judged by industry professionals from all corners of the United States.