This Saturday, Kentridge High School will become the center of the Washington State dance-competition universe, as 45 teams from around the state descend on the school for the 19th annual Kentridge Chatelaines Kick It Up Competition.
And though as hosts the Chatelaines themselves will not be competing, the team will be performing their new circus-themed routine, according to head coach Staci Mattson, who described the event as being like the television show “So You Think You Can Dance,” only local.
“You’ll see a lot of different kinds of performances,” Mattson said of the show.
The annual event has drawn upwards of 2,000 spectators in the past.
This weekend’s event will feature performances from teams from Kentwood, Kent-Meridian, Tahoma and “basically all the local schools,” Mattson said, as well as teams coming from as far south as Vancouver, Wash., and as far north as Snohomish county and even from the other side of the Puget Sound.
Also performing this weekend will be the Everett Bombshells, a dance team for the new Washington Stealth lacrosse team, as well as the Chat Boys, made up of male Kentridge dancers.
The other schools will be competing in up to three categories, which range from straight “dance” to “kick” (routine must include at least 50 kicks) to “hip hop” to “military” (formerly “drill,” a precision competition) to “show,” in which teams tell a story and are allowed to use props and sets.
“People get a little more intricate,” Mattson said of the show category.
The event is not only a competition, but is designed to help the team raise money for costumes and transportation costs to get to other competitions.
“It’s our biggest fundraiser of the year,” Mattson said.
The Chatelaines are an award-winning dance team founded in 1979. Each year, the team competes in regional and district competitions to qualify for the state competition, where, according to Mattson, the team does very well.
“They have a lot of ‘superiors’ and trophies,” said Mattson, who has coached the team for nine years.
Last year, the Chatelaines finished first in the “kick” category and second in the “show” category at the state competition.
This year’s Chatelaines team is made up of 52 girls from all four grade levels at Kentridge, with a surprising number of freshmen and sophomores.
“Most of our team is made up of underclassmen right now,” Mattson said, adding that it hasn’t hurt the performances at all because of the dedication and work ethic the younger students bring to the team.
In fact, at a Jan. 23 competition at Lindbergh High School in Renton, the Chatelaines finished first in a combined show/hip hop division.
The Lindbergh competition featured the debut performance of the team’s circus routine, which features gypsies, jesters and even lions, according to Mattson.
Saturday’s show is open to the public and Mattson encouraged everyone to come out and support the squads.
“Come see the show,” she said. “It’s going to be fun!”
The Chatelaines “Kick It Up” invitational is scheduled for Jan. 30 at the Kentridge High School gymnasium. Doors open at noon with the event to begin at 1 p.m. Cost is $8 general admission, including a program, and $6 for seniors and students with an ASB card. Children ages 5 and under are free.
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