Dance Team 3rd in State

School board honors Wa-Hi Dance Team

In 2018-2019 Walla Walla Public Schools started a new tradition of honoring state champion individuals and teams at a board meeting. Students and teams qualify for this recognition by finishing in the top three at state for athletics, music, drama, FFA, FBLA, debate, JROTC and any other state qualifying activities. This is an opportunity for these outstanding students to be recognized by the Superintendent and School Board.

Tuesday night the Wa-Hi Dance Team was honored for its state competition performances.

The Walla Walla High School Dance Team, led by first-year head coach Brooke Cinnamon (Perkins), Class of 2019, traveled to Yakima March 24 to compete in the WIAA State Dance/Drill Championships. The team earned a 3rd place trophy in the 3A dance category.

Dance Team Roster:
Seniors
1.Chloe Moon
2.Haven Brackner

Juniors
3. Ashlee Villegas
4. Zoe Phavong

Sophomores
5. Janae Martinez
6. Petra Darcy
7. Yvette Corona
8. Gelen Gonzalez
9. Allison Snider

Freshman
10. Saralee De Leon Lara
11. Brooklyn Christopher
12. Paulina Rodriguez

The Blue Devils Dance Team had their highest finish at State since 2017 (4th). Brooke says the team worked extremely hard all season long..This year Coach Cinnamon reintroduced competition to the Wa-Hi Dance Team for the first time in four years. Brooke says her goal for the team this year was to get them to state, and says the team quickly realized it was a possibility. They had several long practices and changed the dance routine choreography several times before making it to state. She says she doesn’t think the team had any idea how good they were and what they were capable of. In advance of going to state, Brooke told the team "you already did the hard work, now it's time to show them what you worked so hard for." She says to say she is proud of the team is an understatement. These kids not only started competitions again for the first time in four years but they placed Top 3 at state for the first time in 11 years.

Brooke says this team of student-athletes are the most humble, kind and selfless people you could ever imagine. And she couldn't be more excited to continue building this program alongside these hard working students.