The rise to nationals

The Hernando High School dance team is going to Nationals on January 31st to compete in Large, Division One Game-day and Hip-Hop. The team has been around since 2019 and are finally deciding to “leap” into nationals. In the 2024 to 2025 competition season the team placed 3rd in Game-day and HipHop at regionals and 4th in HipHop at state. They plan to have the same if not better results at Nationals.

Prepping for Nationals can be a lot of work, but how has it affected the team?

“I have definitely seen improvement in dedication and working their hardest. I have also seen improvement in support as the Dance Team becomes more known. You kind of see our student body show more support and spirit for us.” Garrison said.

“I think I have mostly improved in my stamina and just my overall technique,” Macy Martin said.

Helen Fowler and Vera Kate Ray both agreed that their skills, technique and teamwork skills are improving by the minute. Coach Anna Karr stated that even though she is new to the team she has seen these girls improve since day one and she is looking forward to helping them improve even more in order to become champions.

Team Juniors

Do you ever wonder what training for nationals may look like?
The Hernando Dance Team said that they run routines more often and work harder to become national champions. Inside and outside of practice they stretch, workout, go to the gym, or work on routines daily.

“We run routines several times during practice! Beginning to end. And I feel like that helps the girls learn better,” Anna Karr said.

However the team says that Anna Karr gives them time to review routines, go over choreography, and slow down while teaching the routine to better cooperate with each other! Dancing isn’t just a few turns, is a whole process these girls go through!

”Practice can definitely be hard, but it’s all worth it in the end. I have seen all of us improve so much since tryouts in several different ways,” Layla Anderson said.

Although the team itself is going to nationals for the first time they have been raising leaders and national champions since 2019! Candie Garrison said that even though the team has only been around for about six years she has seen these girls grow up to be leaders in every day life thanks to the team. Most recent graduate Kaitlyn Toney joined the North West Community College Dance Team which is known for winning National Titles in HipHop division. Ashtyn Farris and Jahirra Eddie both graduate from Hernando High School Dance Team and went on to be National UDA Champions in college. Both girls now use the things they love to raise young dancers to grow to be leaders and champions. Others that may not dance in college, but use the team bonding skills they learned in there every day life creating amazing leaders.

 

The team itself has some amazing improvement since the start. Show the team some love and support your tigers! How can you get involved? A way to give to the team, Tiger Fest is being held on Saturday, September 6th, in the Hernando Middle School parking lot. All benefits go to the HMS Cheer team and the HHS Dance team! The dance team holds tryouts for the 26’-27’ school year in the spring. To get involved now, contact Candie Garrison at [email protected]! Be sure to follow them on instagram @hernandohsdance, to show your support! Go Tigers!