This year, Kingwood High School Dance Director, Andi Lewis, worked with her dancers to create a college-level prep team that will compete at the intense, higher- level National Dance Championships. The Kingwood Fillies Elite team was developed and nine dancers were chosen for the team. They spent the summer and early Fall practicing and training at events in and out of Texas. This training was in addition to their regular drill team responsibilities.
The National Dance Team Championship (NDTC) is considered the most prestigious high school national championship in the country. Teams from all over the country (and even the world!) come to compete every year. This year, for the first time, the Kingwood Fillies had an Elite Team, specifically for the purpose of competing at this competition. These nine dancers learned and competed a collegiate-style pom dance for the first time ever, and also learned a jazz dance. These dancers did all of this in addition to their football game performances and preparing for their regular dance competitions.
At the competition, the Kingwood Fillies Elite Team impressed everyone. The competition is extremely rigorous and it is rare for teams to advance even to the semi-finals during their first time at NDTC. The Fillies advanced through the preliminary round and then to the semi-final round to make it all the way to finals for both dances! Then, they were able to place in the finals!
The Kingwood Fillies Elite Team, in their first year competing at this high level of competition placed tenth in the nation for their pom and third for their jazz. The Fillies Elite Team exceeded everyone's expectations by placing in the top ten teams for both dances and even getting a bronze medal for jazz.
Some major highlights from the weekend include being featured in a video for their commitment to serving their community, being interviewed by ESPN before the pom performance, and dancing in front of the famous castle background for the finals round of the competition.
In addition, several members of the Elite Team received recruitment contacts from college coaches who were in attendance at the competition. We were honored to be the only team from Texas in all of the advanced varsity divisions that made it all the way to finals and were proud to represent the state in this way.
NDTC Video about dancers performing community service. The Fillies are featured at the beginning.
The Kingwood Fillies Dance Team Director is Andi Lewis. The Assistant Director is Hannah Hanz. The 2023-2024 Fillies Colonel is Lexie Espitia.
