Viva La Dance Dance Revolution!

If you have listened to the show the last week, you know I have been high kick deep in the controversy of the Minnesota State Dance Line High Kick Championships, a competition held last Saturday 2/14, where the Faribault Dance team won it, and then was nearly run out of Target Center by the other five teams who lost, Eden Prairie, Wayzata, Eastview, Chaska and Lakeville South.  I kept saying this seemed premeditated, and when I had this Facebook Post sent to me this morning, it somewhat validated my theory.  

I have no reason to doubt this woman's story and version of events.  This woman sized it up better than I could.  I will include the link to her Facebook post, but here is the post in it's entirety:

Dear friends, family, students, dancers, and parents,

As a dancer, coach, studio owner, and parent, I feel the need to express my stance on what occurred this past weekend at the 2015 Minnesota State Dance Team Tournament at Target Center, as many of you have asked my opinion. 

First, the facts: 

*All school sanctioned Minnesota High School Dance Teams compete at their respective Section Tournament during the last week of January or the first week of February, depending on each Section. 

*The top three teams in each Section in both High Kick and Jazz, go on to compete at the Minnesota State Dance Team Tournament at the Target Center the second weekend of February. 

*After their performance and first place win at the Section 1AAA Dance Team Tournament on February 7th at Bloomington Kennedy High School, the Faribault Emeralds Dance Team was accused of cheating, plagiarizing, and copying a routine from the Azurettes Drill Team of Copper Hills High School, in Utah. 

*Another coach (or group of coaches, who have not yet named themselves) from the Section 1AAA Tournament issued a formal complaint with the Minnesota State High School League about their concerns of plagiarism on Monday, February 9th. By Thursday, February 12th, all Dance Team coaches in the 1AAA Section received an official email from the Minnesota State High School League stating that they had received the official complaint, reviewed the routine in question, deliberated, and decided that no official rules had been broken, and that the Faribault Emeralds Dance Team would be allowed to compete in the State Tournament with the same routine and no penalties would incur. 

*At the AAA High Kick State Dance Team Tournament at the Target Center on Saturday, February 14th this is what happened: After Finals had commenced and it was time for all 6 finalists to return to the performance floor to receive placements and awards, something unprecedented happened. Instead of lining up in their official positions on the performance floor so the awards ceremony could commence, 5 out of the 6 final teams lined up shoulder to shoulder on the far end of the arena, these teams were Eastview, Wayzata, Lakeville South, Chaska, and Eden Prairie. One team out of the 6 finalists lined up where they were instructed by the Tournament officials, this team was Faribault. The Faribault Emeralds seemed confused for a moment and walked over to the other 5 teams in their “huddle” and tried to join in. At this point, the other 5 teams completely “shunned” them and “shuffled” even farther away from the Faribault team. The Faribault Emeralds Dance Team then quickly repositioned themselves at their official position on the floor, as instructed, at the far left side of the arena. Mr. Mathew Wallace (the official announcer and MC for the 2015 State Dance Team Tournament) then politely and professionally instructed the other 5 teams to “please take their official position on the performance floor so that the awards ceremony may begin”. There was no movement from the 5 teams on the far end of the floor. Then, Mr. Wallace instructed a second time, “Teams and Coaches, please take your official position on the floor in order to receive your placements and awards. As per the rules of the Minnesota State High School League, if you are not in your official positions, you will not be given your placements”. Again, there was no movement from the 5 teams in their “huddle” on the far end of the arena. It was obvious to all spectators at this exact moment, that the 5 other finalists were making some sort of statement and had no intentions of obliging the rules of the Minnesota State High School League, the official Announcer, or the State Dance Team Tournament. A moment later, the Faribault Emeralds Dance Team was awarded their first place trophy and medals, quickly celebrated, and left the arena. When the Faribault Emeralds Dance Team left the arena, the other 5 finalists suddenly “came to life” and made one giant circle on the Target Center floor and celebrated……something. 

Other important facts to know:
1. Dance Team became an official high school sport in the State of Minnesota, sanctioned by the Minnesota State High School League, in the early 1990’s. Up until then, Dance Team was deemed an “athletic activity” and was referred to as “Danceline”. Title 9 obligations (equal opportunity for athletics for both girls and boys) were paramount in this official move to make Dance Team an official high school sport in the State of Minnesota in the early 1990’s. 

2. Any High School in the state of Minnesota (including Athletic Directors, Administrators, and Coaches) who decide to offer Dance Team as an official high school sport, agrees to oblige by all rules, policies, and code of ethics set forth by their governing body, the Minnesota State High School League. 

3. According to the Minnesota State High School League, the Faribault Emeralds were ranked in first place according to all official submitted scores on the night of the AAA High Kick Finals. Even though all other 5 finalists “forfeited” and were disqualified because of their behavior, according to the Minnesota State High School League, Faribault DID NOT received their first place trophy by default, as they did in fact earn it, by receiving the highest scores and first place rankings by ALL AAA Judges on the night of State finals. 

Now that you have all the official facts, I would like to share MY official stance on this incident:

I am disgusted, saddened, and disappointed to have witnessed the worst case of poor sportsmanship and bullying by coaches, dancers, and parents that I have ever seen in my entire life.  

I was lucky enough to participate in dance from a very young age, and go on to be a member of my high school’s “danceline” in the early 90’s. I was so blessed to have the greatest coaches, who to this day, continue to be my mentors, role models, and friends in my life. I was blessed enough to have the opportunity, given by my parents’ support, to participate fully in something that I loved. I was also in the time frame where I participated in 2 years of high school “danceline” as an athletic activity, and 2 years of Dance Team as an official sport, sanctioned by my high school and the Minnesota State High School League. I experienced great success as a member of my High School Dance Team, and was elected captain for both my junior and senior years, went on to compete at State all 4 years, and won a State Championship with my team as well as 2 second place finishes and 1 third place finish in the State Tournament. 

I can tell you, as a previous competitive dancer, coach, and now studio owner and parent, these dancers are the toughest athletes around. They practice 3 hours a day, every day, from mid-October until mid-February. They train all year round to become strong, fit athletes for their team. They are determined, hardworking, self-sacrificing athletes who give it their all, day in and day out just like any other official sport on the high school level. In my opinion, these girls are athletes and artists at the same time; working on perfecting their craft, improving their technique, and coming up with innovative choreography, and have to do it all with a smile on their face and are given no chances for “do overs” or “calling another play”. They put it all on the floor for that 3 minute routine. 

What I witnessed on Saturday, February 14th was the most deliberate, pre-meditated form of poor sportsmanship and bullying I have ever seen. These coaches from these 5 other schools (Eastview, Wayzata, Lakeville South, Chaska, and Eden Prairie), decided to “stomp their foot” and pout like a petulant toddler in protest to a decision passed down by their governing board, the Minnesota State High School League. They actually pre-planned this act in which they bullied, ostracized, and outcast the team that was better than them in order to make a statement. They disrespected their own dancers, their parents, their high schools, their administrators, the judges, the fans, the Minnesota State High School League, and the Judges Association of MN (JAM), not to mention all the little girls around the State of Minnesota who were watching and dreaming of someday earning a place on that prestigious performance floor. 

Not only did these coaches get together, and pre-plan this horrible event, but they “passed around instructions” on the day of the State Tournament to all their parents and fans sitting in the Target Center, to “not clap or cheer for” the Faribault Team! This was deliberate bullying and I am personally shocked that the coaches were able to actually convince these parents and fans of participating in this act. 

As a coach, I am very clear about my expectations of my dancers at a competition. We cheer loudly and support every single team that gets out on that floor. My dancers know that they are to be the first ones walking over to congratulate the first place team, and that we will show good sportsmanship in every aspect of our behavior. We wish every team “good luck”, and praise their efforts and their placement on that day. I hold my parents accountable for the same behavior and good sportsmanship, and I tolerate nothing less. 

I have looked up to some of these coaches of these 5 offending teams for many years, one in particular. This particular coach has led her team to great success and so many State Championships in both High Kick and Jazz, that it is honestly difficult to keep track. I also worked with her briefly a very long time ago with another dance organization. I looked up to her like she was my hero. At 3A Sections in 2014, my daughter (then 9 years old) and I “ran” into her in the ladies restroom. After my reaction, and my interaction with this particular coach, my daughter said to me, “Mom, you acted like you were talking to Zack Effron or something”! It was so obvious to my daughter that this person we just ran into was a crucial inspiration to me at the time, whether this particular person knew it or not. 

As I watched this horrific act on Saturday night with my daughter, I was ashamed and embarrassed that I even knew this particular “coach” that I once looked up to as an inspiration. What these coaches of these 5 teams did at the State Tournament made a mockery and a joke out of a sport that I have dedicated my life to. They bullied and ostracized CHILDREN . . . and in the most public way possible. It is absolutely inexcusable. Pink slips should be issued to the coaching staff of all 5 of these teams for their deliberate, pre-meditated bullying, disrespect, and poor sportsmanship. It’s one thing to have a bad attitude about a specific ruling from a governing board, but it’s a completely different thing to instigate, instruct, and force your athletes to participate in such a heinous act. 

I have been reaching out to news outlets (both city and state wide) for the past 5 years to help get these athletes the coverage they deserve, and now they are all covering the 2015 State Dance Team Tournament because of this ridiculous controversy, not because of the sport, athleticism, or the devoted athletes. Shame on you Eastview, Wayzata, Lakeville South, Chaska, and Eden Prairie . . . you just put a huge black mark on this amazing sport. 

Watch the You Tube videos for yourself; Faribault did not break any rules. Were they inspired by a theme or concept of another routine? Absolutely. Did they make it their own, without breaking any rules, and without copying exact choreography? ABSOLUTELY. I recently watched the new version of “Annie” with my daughter and was inspired to plan an updated version of “Hard Knock Life” for my dancers next year . . . does that make me a cheater? Of course not. 

I will close with this: As a dancer, and a coach, I look to the world for inspiration. I listen to music, attend Broadway musicals, and look online for innovative inspiration to bring to my dancers. We make it our own, we are inspired by everything from “West Side Story” to “High School Musical”. Do I go up to a team at a studio competition and accuse them of cheating because they did a double pirouette, into a grand jete, into a “bug” position? Of course not. We don’t own our ideas in dance. This reminds me of when I was a young freshman, and my dance team (back then it was “danceline”), created this new move in one of our captains’ kitchens, on the linoleum floor during a Christmas break choreography session . . .it is now called the “Zipper” and if you’ve ever watched a High School Dance Team competition, I’m sure you have seen it. We didn’t own it, so when many other teams performed it the following year, I remember feeling proud, that they liked something we came up with so much, that they put it into their own routine. Did we throw a fit, and stomp our foot, and not cheer for this team in protest? Of course not. But, now looking back, I guess that was because I had wonderful coaches and parents who expected us to act like ladies, athletes, and good sports. 

Congratulations on your well deserved State Championship Faribault Emeralds! I am so impressed by your talents, resilience, and good sportsmanship! Thank you for setting a good example for my dancers, we will continue to look up to you with the utmost respect. 

Allison Rise
Owner, Studio52

Faribault was investigated by the MSHSL and found to have NOT cheated.  You can not redefine the rules of cheating and then retrospectively apply them to Faribault, overriding the sports governing body, to condemn Faribault after the fact, and attempt to excuse the inexcusable behavior of the five schools.  You just can't do that.  I don't like the New York Yankees, but I can't just retroactively change the rules and negate their World Series wins.  Faribault won, fair and square!

This brings a level of fraud to the sport which might not ever be able to be rectified.  They might end up having to decommission this sport from State Championship consideration, and when the young women who participate in it ask why, the answer should be 7 words:  Wayzata, Eden Prairie, Eastview, Chaska, Lakeville South.

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