Local Dancers Sweep Nationals Stage: Earn Double Platinum Status

Before the end of April this year, Minnesota had never heard of Sidney located in the Nebraskan Panhandle; but after the Just For Kix Nationals Competition, the same can no longer be said. Leaving a lasting impact on what was Sidney JFK's FIRST ever "Together We Dance" Nationals trip, the small but mighty team, now National Champions, and its instructor, Donna Fort, have brought home some serious hardware to show for their efforts.

With the idea of traveling to Nationals originally beginning as a "future goal" at the start of the dance season, a dream was achieved at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester this past April 24-27th. With 13 dancers, their parents and family members as well as fans of the program all making the 750-mile one-way trip, history was made for the small town of Sidney, NE.

Starting the competition scalding hot after a full day of traveling, Senior Duet contestants Reece Currier and Olivia Ford set the stage on fire with their first-place National Championship performance earning them platinum status. The duet not only made waves in the dancing hemisphere but set the standard for the rest of Sidney's performances throughout the competition. The team, who spent countless hours together on and off the floor created lasting memories beyond the winner's podium, "I loved the team bonding aspect. We were with each other for such long hours, we got to know one another better outside of just dance," Ford said about the event considered to be "a true bonding experience."

The team was not alone in their success. The group traveled with a posse of family and fans that made their impact, cheering the girls on from the stands with their own dance moves, the 'Y-M-C-A' has never looked better. "The Moms were our best support during competition, they were our rock the entire time always cheering us on and helping on the spot," Teah Meyer (JFK's most senior dancer) had to say about the experience, "The best part was getting to go with people who love the same thing I do. We all have the same passion for dance."

Sidney's JFK proudly claimed 5 Team National Champion Titles, 1 Duet National Champion Title, and secured a Finalist position in all 3 Senior Showcase Divisions with 2 top 3 finishes in Kick and Pom. This is not to discredit the greatest feat of all – a DOUBLE Platinum score in Kick, Pom, and Jazz. What is the significance? Double Platinum is a combined total of the three middle scores from judging, taking away the top score as well as the bottom. For a regular platinum score, which JFK has earned on numerous different occasions, the three scores must total 200-249 points. For a double, the score must top 250 points or more, not an impossible task, but a rather difficult one. Sidney's Just For Kix achieved their first-ever Double Platinum score at Nationals, blowing, not only the competition, but the judges out of the water as well; a true cherry on top.

When talking about next year's Nationals trip, JFK is already in preparation, "If you're on this team, you're going to Nationals," Fort mentions with a chuckle, "It meant so much to see them succeed, for them to put into motion and to take it to that next level. This was where everyone knew Sidney JFK was in the house." Fort was quick to point out the effect this team had on the entire Nationals circuit, "I've just never experienced anything like it, they just kept succeeding and they stayed together on and off the dance floor. People sought us out to tell us, 'We're glad that you're here this year.' These girls had that sort of impact." When asking Fort about the opportunity to bring her dancers to Minnesota where she once was a professional NFL cheerleader for the Vikings, "Oh full circle, totally. It was so much fun to be in my home state and the home of JFK."

The team has much to say about its future plans as well, "we're ready to improve on the unknown, we're always learning," Currier explained with her teammate Ford adding, "I'm looking forward to obviously getting better, but also setting the mold for the rest of our younger girls."

The moment was an overwhelming one, "So many happy tears, when you see a child with tears of joy in their eyes, those are life moments you will never forget," Brown affirms, "They are not the same team they were when we left, in the best way."

When questioning the importance of JFK's dance program in their personal lives, "When I think about all the years I've been dancing, I get the shivers and goosebumps," Meyer whose last year in the program will be in 2025 mentions, "this is the best environment for a dance team." Quick to chime in was Currier, "It's a second home; when I'm not at school or sleeping, I'm here," she adds, "An environment you're safe to be yourself in that serves as an outlet." The dancers, some of which has been in the program for almost a decade have truly spent most of their lives with JFK, "I feel nostalgia because we've been in this for so long. I can see how far we've come as dancers," Ford mentions, "I feel like I never go home from dance upset."

The camaraderie between teammates is more than evident, cheering one another on from the stage and behind the scenes, pep talks come in all shapes and sizes with the JFK crew. How do they get amped up for those first-place performances, "a lot of it comes from the pep talks right before we get on the floor," Meyer comments with Fort adding, "It's all the girl's, that's their team time."

With the Nationals 2024 Competition now in the books, the girls now have time to reflect on their whirlwind winning streak, "It felt like a month and a day all in one," Ford says with a smile. "This was the year, the right team with the right parents," Fort comments, "we were learning and intentionally improving every time we took that floor." The returning National Champions have much to prepare for, "We really respect our judges and their feedback, and we use it," Fort mentions in regards to the process behind prepping for the next, "we're focused, and we're ready to have fun on that floor."

If interested in Sidney Just For Kix you may contact Donna Fort by calling: 308-249-2757 or by visiting justforkix.com

Author Bio

Kelsey Arrington, Staff Reporter

Cheyenne County native, local business owner.