The Lakeland Regional High School Dance Team entered the 2023-2024 season with an emotional jazz routine and an energetic pom performance. The Lady Lancers, led by Lakeland alumni, coaches Nicole Secor and Marly Goldring, put their best foot forward every time they danced, leading them to many successful competitions and qualifying for the Dance Team Union National Competition in Florida.
Over the course of the season, the girls competed in four competitions and placed within the top three at all of them. During the Pascack Valley Invitational, the dance team was awarded second place in Jazz and third place in Pom. At the Ramapo College Invitational, the girls swept their competition, winning first place awards in both Pom and Jazz. Then, at the Dance Team Union Regional Competition, the team became the Jazz Regional Champions as they moved into Nationals. For their final competition of the season, the Lady Lancers competed in the Dance Team Union Nationals where they achieved eighth place for their Jazz routine out of over twenty-five performances.
On Nationals, Freshman Alexandra Carrasco said, “We all felt proud of our performance and were glad we gave it all we had.”
(Courtesy of LRHS Yearbook)
Senior captain Keira Welsh told the Ledger that the team achieved “many of our goals. [Although] there were some downs like when one of our main dancers got hurt two weeks before Nationals and was unable to compete. We worked together to reblock the dances and still come out on top.” Welsh said the highlights of the season were “taking home first place in both Pom and Jazz” at the Ramapo College Invitational, beating “one of [their] main competitors Pascack Valley Pom, and “making it straight through to Jazz Finals at Nationals.” Even with the challenges the Lady Lancers had to overcome, they were able to have a successful season filled with hard work and so many memories made.
One memory that stands out to Carrasco is the team’s performance at West Milford. She shares, “We put all of our emotions on the floor and effort. We even managed to make the coaches and parents cry.”
With the season coming to a close after Nationals, the dance team is saying goodbye to their three seniors, captain Welsh, Kate Rose, and Isabella Bozan. Carrasco encourages incoming freshmen to try out for the team, saying, “Everyone on the team was so welcoming to me as a freshman… We are looking forward to incoming freshmen and hope they enjoy the dance team as much as everyone on the team did!” Although these seniors will be greatly missed, the team has a strong foundation and future seasons are looking bright.
