The Minnesota State High School League Dance Team State Tournament was held last weekend on Friday, February 14th and Saturday, February 15th at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Friday, February 14th’s competition was for the Jazz portion, and Saturday, February 15th’s competition was for the High-Kick portion. Each day consisted of three class levels, with single A being the smallest or easiest, double A, and triple A being the biggest or most difficult. Each day also consisted of a preliminary and final round for each class. The competition had 36 teams competing in both Jazz and High-Kick across three class levels, with 12 in each class. Every team that qualified for state got to compete in the preliminary round, but only 6 teams per class advance to finals.

For both the Jazz and High-Kick portion of the competition, teams are judged by eight judges. Each judge scores them out of 10 on 10 different portions of the scoresheet, totaling up to 100 points. Then the eight judges total up their scores, creating the final total point score to be out of 800. Lastly, the judges rank each of the teams from first to last, creating the rank score. In order to win, you want to have the lowest score possible, similar to golf. Although the total point score seems intimidating, the rank score is what determines the placements, unless there is a tie. If there is a tie, then the judges go to total points, and whichever team has the highest score, wins. 

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For the jazz portion of the competition, teams from Lac Qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd, Yellow Medicine East, Holdingford, St. Cloud Cathedral, Zumbrota-Mazeppa, and Crosby-Ironton advanced to finals at the single A level. Teams from Benilde St Margaret, Orono, Totino-Grace, Holy Family Catholic, Mound Westonka, and Monticello advanced to finals at the double A level. Teams from Eastview, Maple Grove, Edina, Brainerd, Lakeville North, and Sartell advanced to finals at the triple A level. 

At the single A level, St. Cloud Cathedral and Holdingford were tied at 17 rank points. Using the tie breaker, St. Cloud Cathedral took 3rd. With 10 rank points, Yellow Medicine East took 2nd. With 5 rank points, Lac Qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd were the single A Jazz champions. At the double A level, taking 3rd was the team from Totino-Grace with 11 rank points. Taking 2nd place was the team from Orono with 9 rank points. Taking home the 1st place medal was the team from Benilde-St. Margaret with 8 rank points. These top three teams were very close. In fact, Totino-Grace and Benilde-St. Margaret both had a total point score of 673, and on top of that, Orono outscored both of those teams with a 677 in total points. At the triple A level, taking 3rd was the team from Edina with 15 rank points. This was special for Edina because they haven’t reached top 3 since 2019, where they took 2nd place. Taking 2nd place was the team from Maple Grove with 10 rank points. Taking 1st place was the team from Eastview with 5 rank points. 

For the High-Kick portion of the competition, teams from Lac Qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd, Yellow Medicine East, Holdingford, St Cloud Cathedral, Crosby Ironton, and Cannon Falls advanced to finals at the single A level. Teams from Totino-Grace, Benilde-St. Margaret, Orono, Holy Family Catholic, Mound Westonka, and Austin advanced to finals at the double A level. Teams from Brainerd, Eastview, Lakeville North, Sartell, Edina, and Wayzata advanced to finals at the triple A level.

At the single A level, taking 3rd was the team from Holdingford with 16 rank points. Taking 2nd place was the team from Yellow Medicine East with 8 rank points. Taking home the 1st place medal was the team from Lac Qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd with 7 rank points. Lac Qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd took home the win for both Jazz and High-Kick this year. At the double A level, taking 3rd was the team from Orono with 15 rank points. Taking 2nd place was the team from Benilde St. Margaret with 10 rank points. Taking home 1st place was the team from Totino-Grace with 5 rank points. The team from Orono took 3rd back in 2023, so taking it again two years later was thrilling.At the triple A level, taking 3rd was the team from Sartell with 16 rank points. Sartell made program history by placing in the top 3 for the first time ever at the triple A level. Taking 2nd place was the team from Eastview with 10 rank points. Taking home the 1st place medal was the team from Brainerd with 5 rank points.