The Westside Dance banquet celebrated multiple school records this season with success at state, nationals and other special events.

Dance placed higher than any season before, placing in the top three at state and taking home third overall. 

“It [state competitions] was really cool,” senior Anisa Reyna said. “We worked really hard this year. We did 6:45 a.m. practices, and just so much work built up to it. It was the first time making finals, so getting third was insane to us, and we didn’t think that would happen. It was definitely nerve-wracking, especially because this year we had a team that was striving towards our goals and had such a drive.”

Yet another record break for this team was getting higher than any season before in nationals. Nationals took place in Orlando, Florida, at Universal Studios. 

“Our biggest accomplishment [at nationals] was making finals for all three of our routines,” junior Reagan Jackson said. “We had jazz, pom, and game day. Our game day got second, our jazz got fourth, and our pom got 10th.”

The dance team gets new opportunities to perform every year, and this year’s venue was especially impressive as the girls performed at the Big 12 conference for the women’s league during halftime.

“It was really fun and I don’t think they [the crowd] were expecting a halftime show,” sophomore Leah Shilling said.

Each girl adds unique personality and skills to the team, making them successful as a whole. 

Head coach Bronwyn Troxel took time at the dance banquet to give each girl an intricate and distinctive award to commemorate their impact on the team.

“I think every single dancer, no matter where they’re at in a formation, whether they’re in a dance or not, will always contribute no matter what,” Troxel said. “This is a team sport, no matter where you’re at, what you do, you are contributing by being a good teammate, by learning the dance, by giving your all every single day, and I think every single person on this team came in every single day with the best mindset, ready to give 110% and ready to do everything that they can for their team.”

Each girl on the team was given an award, but some of the awards given out were the “Showstopper” award to freshman Avery McKinzie, the “Fabulous Facials” award to sophomore Gretchen Kostreva and the “Ray of Sunshine” award to junior Reagan Jackson. The “Rookie of the Year” awards went to two girls, freshman Makenna LeDou and junior Preslie Wampler.

The girls also voted for the “Westside Ways” dancer of the year award. This award is given to the dancer who showed what it means to be an Owl. Sophomore Leah Shilling received the award.

Towards the end of the banquet, Troxel announced the senior awards. This group of seniors was the first rotation that Troxel coached for all four of their years at West. 

Coach Troxel passed out each award to the senior girls, starting with senior Kaylei Wiedenmann, then Natalie Castaneda Ruiz, and ending with Anisa Reyna. Reyna was given an award that was voted on by the whole team, the “Veteran of the Year” award.

“This year we’re such a special team, and in my four years, the other seniors can say the same thing—we went through it,” Reyna said. “Our four years were crazy, there were ups and downs, and it was a lot. Honestly, just to get through these four years, if it weren’t for Trox and the coaches, and especially this team this year, it would’ve been a lot easier to say goodbye.”

Troxel tearfully talked about the seniors when they first joined the team. She had prepared personal speeches to each of the seniors, thanking them for how much they have helped build the dance program at West. Wiedenmann, Castaneda Ruiz and Reyna were all moved to tears. 

Troxel gave the three girls personalized memory boxes full of all of the important moments in dance. The three seniors dedicated their high school first periods and Thursday nights to dance for four years, spending extra time on concerts, special events and all of the football and basketball games. 

“I think the seniors came in, ready to work and really wanting to leave their mark on this team, and so that was their first mindset,” Troxel said. “And so our three seniors came in, right at work, and they were determined all year. They’re also just the best humans, and so they gave their absolute all to this team and showed it.”