The Huntington Highsteppers are kicking into high gear as the high school’s competitive dance team ramps up preparations for its trip to the national championships.
Coached by Huntington High School business teacher Paige Tyree and Platinum Performance Dance Academy choreographer and instructor Jessica Harris, the team includes freshmen Jailyn Fuentes, Katelin Smith, Alexa Rind, Hallie Armengau, Kate Sheran and Lainey Carney; sophomores Bella Thompson, Livia D’Anna and Mia Redick; juniors Brooke Cafiero, Sophia LaCentra, Casey Smith and Kaitlyn Smith and seniors Charlotte Brosoff, Bethany Danziger, Casey Moskowitz, Sophia Ornato and Jamie Spector.
The Huntington Highsteppers outside Nassau Community College last Sunday.
The team’s senior captains are Casey Moskowitz, Jamie Spector and Bethany Danziger. Sophia LaCentra is the junior captain.
At Sunday’s competition at Nassau County Community College, the Highsteppers earned third place finishes in both the jazz and pom categories. “The team did incredible today,” Ms. Tyree said. “Jess and I are super proud of all the hard work the girls have put in to get to this point.”
The Highsteppers are training for the Dance Team Union Nationals at Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando, Florida. They will depart for the national championships on Thursday, February 15 and return on Tuesday, February 20.
Huntington High School’s ultra-hip dance squad earned national honors last winter and the group is striving for an even better finish next month. Another regional competition at Nassau Community College will be held on Sunday, February 4.
“This next month will be spent fine tuning and fixing any imperfections, with our eyes on the big prize; the nationals in Florida,” Ms. Tyree said.
After returning from the national championships, the Highsteppers plan to perform at the Key Club’s K-Factor talent show on Friday, March 2 on the high school auditorium stage.
