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Sports

South Brunswick Dance Team Preparing Triumphant Return

Vikings add state titles to great season.

The 2010-11 season was so fun and successful for the members of the South Brunswick High School dance team, they will all be back to do it again.

South Brunswick didn't have any seniors on its team this season. Cassie Yeung, Christina Trautwein, Kayla Allen, Melanie Spilatore, Rebecca Arroyo, Sydney Fiorentino, Jennetta Dellapa, Daphne Donnellan, Kendall Lavaelle, Mackenzie Rice, Gianna Rosamilia, Samantha Orokos,  D'Kota Barrios, Kimberly Reed, Doug Arouh, Anna Goldin, Lexie Hohmeier, Morgan Johnston, Hannah Martin, Danielle McHregor and Kaitlin Swierczek all get to come back.

"It allows me to be calmer about next season," South Brunswick Coach Regina Boudwin said. "We graduated half the team last year, but it still worked out well for us."

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South Brunswick finished off its season by taking part in a pair of state championships.

"We're one of a few teams that do both state competitions," Boudwin noted. "Most teams do one or the other. We like competition. We get to as many events as possible."

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At the New Jersey Cheer and Dance Coaches Assiciation event at Wayne Valley High, the JV placed first in pom and jazz. The varsity team was first in jazz and second in pom.

At the NJ State Dance Championships at Ramapo College, the JV jazz was third and the JV pom was second. The varsity was first in jazz and second in pom.

South Brunswick has won the Ramapo varsity jazz competition four straight years now. It also has a three-year winning streak in jazz at the Wayne Valley High competition.

"We're getting progressively better," Boudwin said. "We keep doing better at the local, regional and National level. The kids are getting used to my style of coaching."

In addition to the success at the state meets, the South Brunswick varsity and JV teams each won their jazz and pom divisions at the Battle of the Northeast. At the National level, South Brunswick had the 18th best jazz and 22nd best pom team in the country. It added an eighth in jazz and 12th in pom in the Nationals, held in Florida.

"It takes a lot of hours of work, but it's worth it," said Boudwin.

Boudwin is kind of a dancing lifer. She was a member of the team as a student at South Brunswick High School. Now as a coach, she retains her mother and high school sweetheart (Jason, now her husband) in her cheering section.

"My mom is a professional South Brunswick High School dance fan," Boudwin noted. "She's been here since I was doing it and my sister (Kathryn Besheer) was on the dance team. She's so supportive.

"My husband is learning the ropes. It's become like a good Sunday football game to him. He was my high school sweetheart, so he knows what this is about."

Boudwin and the members of the team wanted to thank all of the parents and the South Brunswick High School community for their support.

"A lot of schools don't even have a dance team," Boudwin noted. "We know that we have great support and we really appreciate it very much."

Keeping it in the family, Stefanie Whitefield, Boudwin's assistant, is also a South Brunswick High School graduate.

The kids, coaches, parents and South Brunswick HighSchool administration helped team for a great season.

"Now, we can look forward to next year," Boudwin said. "We're not losing anyone, but we can still add some new members."

You know, keep the line of success going on and on and . . .

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