2021 GHSA Dance State Invitational

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School

Starr’s Mill Vidalia Lee County Kings Ridge Buford Sitwell Lovejoy Savannah Christian Blessed Trinity Model Richmond Hill Thomasville Woodland Allatoona Starr’s Mill Kipp McIntosh Buford Sitwell Lee County Sitwell Blessed Trinity Model Allatoona Vidalia Woodland Kings Ridge Richmond Hill Kipp Creekside Denmark Murray County Etowah GAC Mill Creek North Murray

SESSION 1 - 9:00 AM Style

Pom Pom Pom Pom Pom Pom Pom Pom Pom High Kick High Kick High Kick High Kick High Kick

5A-6A A-AA 5A-6A A-AA 5A-6A A-AA 5A-6A A-AA 5A-6A A-AA 5A-6A A-AA 5A-6A 5A-6A

INTERMISSION Jazz Jazz Jazz Jazz Jazz Jazz Jazz Jazz Jazz Hip Hop Hip Hop Hip Hop Hip Hop Hip Hop Hip Hop Hip Hop

5A-6A A-AA 5A-6A 5A-6A A-AA 5A-6A A-AA 5A-6A A-AA 5A-6A A-AA 5A-6A A-AA 5A-6A A-AA 5A-6A

SESSION 2 - 1:00 PM Pom Jazz Pom Jazz Pom Jazz

Division

7A 3A-4A 7A 3A-4A 7A 3A-4A

Forsyth Central Blessed Trinity South Forsyth Stephens County Hillgrove East Jackson Peachtree Ridge North Gwinnett North Oconee West Forsyth Ringgold Mill Creek Cairo Etowah Murray County Brookwood North Murray Collins Hill North Oconee Denmark West Laurens South Forsyth Heritage Hillgrove Blessed Trinity North Gwinnett Stephens County Peachtree Ridge Ringgold West Forsyth GAC Parkview

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Pom Jazz Pom High Kick Jazz Jazz Jazz

INTERMISSION Jazz High Kick Jazz Hip Hop Jazz Hip Hop Jazz Hip Hop Hip Hop Hip Hop Hip Hop Jazz

INTERMISSION Hip Hop Pom Hip Hop Pom Hip Hop Pom Hip Hop Pom Hip Hop Pom Hip Hop Pom Hip Hop

7A 3A-4A 7A 3A-4A 7A 3A-4A 7A 7A 3A-4A 7A 3A-4A 7A 3A-4A 7A 3A-4A 7A 3A-4A 7A 3A-4A 7A 3A-4A 7A 3A-4A 7A 3A-4A 7A 3A-4A 7A 3A-4A 7A 3A-4A 7A

DANCE PRE VIE W

C O LU M B U S W E LC O M E S T H I R D -A N N U A L G H S A D A N C E I N V I TA T I O N A L

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BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL .COM

he third-annual GHSA Dance State Invitational will be held this Saturday at the Columbus Convention and Trade Center. When the sport was first added during the 2018-19 season, there were more than 50 different dance teams that competed in three separate divisions. Each coed or all-girls teams performed popular genres such as Jazz, High Kick, Hip Hop and Pom. Mill Creek earned top finishes with their Pom and Jazz routines and took the Class 6A-7A crown. McIntosh earned the highest score of the weekend with its 94.50 Pom routine and took the overall 4A-5A crown. As for Class A-3A, Washington High School grabbed the title with its Hip Hop routine that racked up a division-best 77.88 score.

The field went from three to four separate divisions ahead of the 2019-20 State Invitational, with Class 7A getting its own division and 5A-6A, 3A-4A and A-2A represented in their new two-classification groups. Mill Creek defended its crown with a top overall finish that was bolstered by performances in the Jazz and Pom genres—the latter of which was the top overall routine in Class 7A (92.30). Etowah finished runner-up to the Hawks in Jazz and South Forsyth’s Hip Hop routine earned a top finish. Mill Creek is the only program that will enter this weekend’s Invitational as a two-time defending state champ.

Starr’s Mill captured the Class 5A-6A title after coming up short to McIntosh in the inaugural Invitational.

The Panthers posted a near-flawless 97.15 mark for their Jazz routine and also posted a top finish in the Pom genre. Dutchtown’s Hip Hop routine earned a top fin-

ish and McIntosh added to the competiveness with its 95.78 Pom performance.

Heritage-Catoosa’s victory in Class 3A-4A earned the Generals their first-ever Dance state title this past year. Heritage’s 91.28 Pom routine was the highest overall score in the Class 3A-4A field. Stephens County earned a top finish in the High Kick genre, Blessed Trinity finished first in the Jazz department and Ringgold’s Hip Hop routine earned a top finish.

In Class A-2A, Washington was unable to defend its overall title, but would earn its second-straight top finish in the Hip Hop genre. The Stillwell School of Arts ascended to the top and earned the overall team title— picking up victories in Jazz and Pom. Thomasville also posted a top finish in High Kick.

This year’s action will be broken up into two separate sessions. Session 1 will showcase Class A-2A and 5A6A field—starting a 9:00 a.m. and culminating at noon with the official awards ceremony. Class 3A-4A and the Class 7A divisions will begin Session 2 at 1:00 p.m. and the awards are expected to occur around 5:00 p.m.

The McIntosh Invitational offered a preview of what to watch for this past weekend. Mill Creek earned the top overall score in Class 7A and posted top finishes in Pom and Jazz. The Stillwell School of the Arts took first in the A-2A division and Starr’s Mill earned runner-up finishes in Pom and Jazz. Additionally, Creekside’s Competitive Dance team secured their place in this year’s State Invitational with a thirdplace finish at the ultra-competitive McIntosh Invitational.