[dropcap]D[/dropcap]espite losing six seniors from last year’s competition team, the RBHS Bruin Girls team yet again secured itself a spot at the National Dance Alliance (NDA) Championship.  This year’s competition, from March 4-6, hosted by Hard Rock Live, saw some of the best dancers in the nation.
Of those teams, the Bruin Girls took four dances including pom, jazz, hip hop and mix.  Before the team boarded the plane for Orlando, Florida, however, the Bruins Girls went through rounds of other competitions before making it onto the nationals stage.
“Our team went to the Regionals Competition in January. We also competed in the State Competition which was in St. Louis this year,” sophomore Kennedy Grieman said.  “In order to go to nationals, each team has to receive an invitation from NDA.”
For Grieman, this year’s national’s round will be her second time performing for the championship.  As a freshman last year, Grieman already has a year of experience but is still just as excited for the competition.
“We are very excited to be going to Nationals for a second time in a row,” Grieman said. “I am looking forward to competing all of our dances with the team. [We also] bond with each other as we become even more determined to take a title.”
Unlike Grieman, however, senior Hallie Greer has mixed emotions at the thought of her last competition season coming to a close.
[quote]“Being a senior at nationals is very overwhelming. I want my team to do the best they possibly can and give it all they’ve got. It’s sad knowing that this is my last chance to go to nationals. But it also makes me happy to see how hard my team has worked.  We have also come so far,” Greer said.  “I’ve taken a lot of things away from Bruin Girls but most importantly I have taken away leadership, [responsibility], and I have gained friends that I will hopefully have for years to come.” [/quote]After seeing the results, sophomore Paityn Alexander believes everything that could have been done was left on stage.
“Hip hop got 12th and pom got 6th,” Alexander said.  “Jazz got second because we lost by .1 points and we got second in mix, by less than a point.”
Despite a near win in the jazz round, Alexander leaves with no disappointments.  While the competition is a huge part of the weekend, it’s more about the time Alexanders spent with her teammates.
“It was very hard coming so close to winning, but we regret nothing,” Alexander said.  “I’m just so thankful for the experience.”
As the season comes to a close, Alexander is thankful for two more years of being a Bruin Girl. But until next year, Alexander has enough memories to last.
“It is the best feeling when you come off the stage knowing that you have put everything out on the floor.  [We] did everything we could,” Alexander said.  “All the hard practice and early morning pay off when you it the stage.”
Are you a member of the Bruin Girls team? Let us know in the comments below.