AHS dance team achieves big success, qualifies for state

Dan Brannan, Content Director

Feb 7, 2018 5:38 AM

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ALTON - The Alton High School dancers are headed to the Illinois Dance Team Association state finals this weekend.

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The jazz dance group took first and advanced to state for the first time in 15 years recently at Mattoon. The girls took first place in AAA jazz to qualify on Sunday, Jan. 28.

Head coach Sara Miller and assistant coach Amber Hoene are the Alton High School dance coaches. The two choreographed the performance. Miller coaches the competitive dance team at McKendree University and Hoene works at DK Dance Productions in Alton.

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Team members are: Sophie Eppel, Caroline Goeken, Makayla Miltzer-Baker, Olivia Evans, Gabi Beranix and Julia Allen.

“It is pretty exciting,” Miller said. “The girls turned in a really good performance to advance to state. We focused on one routine with jazz this year rather than two routines to give it our full attention and it paid off. The girls are extremely hard workers.”

Miller praised captain Caroline Goeken for helping lead the team to success, providing constant inspiration.

“Our goal for state is to perform just as well as we did at Mattoon and place in the top 10,” she said.