South Brunswick Dancers Ready to Kick up Their Feet

After watching all of the other winter teams at South Brunswick High School start their seasons, the Viking dancers are eager to put up their pom poms and kick up their heels.

South Brunswick not only will start their season soon, they will do it with a very busy weekend. On Jan. 6, South Brunswick will be competing at Ramapo University. The following day, South Brunswick will host the Battle of the Northeast.

"It's a true test for the first weekend" South Brunswick Coach Regina Boudwin noted.

Of course, it's a test South Brunswick has been studying up for a long time.

"We've been practicing since the middle of November to get ready for this," Boudwin said. "We're excited to get going."

One subject South Brunswick always seems to do well in is the jazz dance.

"We've been undefeated in jazz locally the past four years," Boudwin said. "We're looking to start the fifth that way this weekend."

South Brunswick also competes in the pom dance division. That team has also done quite well. SBHS is usually among the top three teams in most local competitions, with wins not being a rarity.

"We have several nationally ranked teams in pom locally," Boudwin said. "We go back and forth with them (as far as placement in local events)."

South Brunswick is coming off a very successful season. The varsity team placed 18th in the country in jazz at the National Championships in Florida. South Brunswick was 22nd in pom.

In the National Championships, SBHS added a 12th in pom and 8th in jazz at the JV level.

"We're hoping to match -- if not succeed -- our previous records," Boudwin said. "I honestly believe this is the most talented team we ever had."

The reason Boudwin believes this team is the best is because, as good as South Brunswick was in 2010-11, it didn't have any seniors.

"With us not having graduating anyone, it allowed expectations to build," Boudwin said.

South Brunswick has four seniors on the team this season. Kaya Allen, Cassie Yeung and Daphne Donnellan are on the Black Team. Kimberly Reed is on the Gold Team.

The other members of the Black Team are Rebecca Arroyo (sophomore), Heather Briody (freshman), Zoe Finkelstein (freshman), Caite Ignall (junior), Sami Orokos  (sophomore), Mackenzie Rice (junior), Gianna Rosamilia (junior), Starr Vega (freshman) and Christina Trautwein (junior).

The other members of the Gold Team are Doug Arouh (junior), Jackie Bell (freshman), Jamie Dellapa (freshman), Sidney Fiorentino (sophomore), Anna Goldin (junior), Lexie Hohmeier (sophomore), Morgan Johnston (sophomore), Hannah Martin (sophomore), Danielle McGregor (sophomore), Danielle Siegel (sophomore) and Kaitlin Swierczek (sophomore)

"We have a lot more experience this year," Boudwin said. "We have the seniors that will help show the other dancers the way. We also added some talented new members to the team. We're excited about the season."

South Brunswick will be active in competitions every weekend in January. The team also has state and national competitions to look forward to as well.

"It should be a good season," Boudwin said. "We're eager to get it started."