Courtesy of Kali Kosek

The Benilde St. Margaret’s dance team focused together before winning the conference championship.

“Want it the most.” The Benilde-St. Margaret’s Dance Team is filled with energy and success. This weekend they are heading into the state tournament for both jazz and kick. They are looking to gain their 13th state title, as well as winning back-to-back champions for jazz. If any team can accomplish winning two years in a row, it’s them.

Coming off their first-place win in jazz and their third-place win in kick last year, the team is determined to succeed again. They have been working hard in their final practices, so they are prepared for the big stage this weekend. “We’ve been building up our stamina a lot, and we have been cleaning everything and working on performance because you’re in such a bigger arena that you need to make sure that you’re performing to the best of your ability,” senior captain Ellie Shideman said.

The state tournament takes place at Target Center in downtown Minneapolis. It’s a two-day event with jazz being on Friday and kick being on Saturday. The atmosphere can be overwhelming, especially for the underclassmen who have never experienced something like this. “If there’s someone in the audience that I know that’s there, it can be scary, and it can also be overwhelming performing in front of all those people,” freshman Ana Santos said.

The experience at state is so surreal and special for the team. They spend all of Friday and Saturday together soaking up every moment. They even turn their phones in to their coaches Thursday night, so they can stay focused and bond with each other. “Keeping away from distractions and spending time with my team and coaches is what’s important to gain success this weekend,” Shideman said.

The team has six seniors who have contributed to the team greatly. They have been a part of the program for a long time, and have contributed to multiple other state titles. With this being their last year, they are prepared to give everything they have to come out on top. “It’s my last time performing at state and I feel prepared, it all comes down to the team culture, and making sure that we’re all staying close as a team and doing it for each other,” Shideman said.