Redwood’s Dance Force take first place in the ‘Believe Dance Competition’

By Brienna Burr

Redwood High School’s Dance Force competed at the “Believe Dance Competition” in Fresno, California on Sunday February 6. 

The team competed their Hip-Hop routine, “Straight Up” choreographed by Isaac Saesee. This performance got the team to win first place in their category, the “Entertainment Award,” the “Spirit Award,” and a “Regional Champion Award.” 

Dance Force’s very own choreographer and instructor, Mrs. Michelle Lapp, talks about the two-year gap since the last competition. Lapp goes on and brings up the fact that, “[their] current seniors were freshmen” when they last competed and that, “it was such an exhilarating feeling being in a theater again that [she] was overcome with emotion.”

She then expresses how proud she is of the team and even though they won plenty of awards, “just having the opportunity to perform and see all the other groups was the best part.”

Emerson Pressley, ‘22 is one of the captains of the team and she has not competed with Dance Force since her freshman year due to Covid.

Pressley says, “It felt so great to compete… It was so much fun and [the team] worked so hard to be able to go on stage and look as great as we did.”

Pressley adds, “not only did it feel great to compete, but to also place first and win so many awards.”

Mandy Redden, ‘22 is the other team captain. She says, “It was so much fun to get out on the stage with my friends one last time before I graduate.”

One of the freshman on the team, Marileigh Coon, says, “The competition was really fun,” and the team “had a great time.” Coon adds that she enjoyed how they performed as a team on stage.

Lapp furthers, “[She is] so proud of these girls and [she] is so pumped for the dance show which will be April 21 and 22 in the magnificent LJ Williams Theater.”

Tags: Brienna Burr, competition, competitive dance, dance, dance force, redwood gigantea, redwood high school, redwood journalism, redwood rangers