Molahiettes host Dance/Drill Invite

MOSES LAKE - Glitter, pop music and the determination of teenagers from 15 Washington high schools met Saturday afternoon at the Moses Lake Dance/Drill Invite competition.

The event began at noon and lasted until 5 p.m. The Moses Lake High School Molahiettes were not eligible to win any of the day's trophies because they hosted the event, but they did put on three demonstration performances in the categories of Pom, Kick and Military, respectively. These performances received the two highest scores of the day and an award for best choreography, according to head coach Lori Baker.

Meanwhile, dancers from other high schools displayed both nervousness and excitement as they waited to perform.

Kendyle Daley and her teammate Brianna Cousey from Decatur High School in Federal Way hugged an enormous, threadbare stuffed alligator as they watched another school's team dance. His name was Gary Gator, after the school's mascot Daley explained, and he helps the team to stay focused until their turn.

"It's hard waiting," Daley said. "But once you get out there on the floor, everything calms down. You feel powerful and strong, and you know exactly what you should be doing."

Seated across from the Decatur team, Allie Jallett of Royal City agreed that dancing in front of a crowd of hundreds of people is an experience like none other.

"It's like an adrenaline rush," Jallett said. "I tried out for the team in my third year because all of my friends tried out, but once I got out there... I don't know. It's incredible."

In between the high school dance teams, Saturday's audience at Moses Lake High School was treated to performances by University of Washington dancers, the Mini Molahiettes, the Future Molahiettes, and Today's Generation Dance Studio's preschool classes. Numerous contests for audience members were also staged, including a Gangnam Style dance-off and a headstand contest. But the main attraction remained the dazzling flips, turns and kicks of the high school dancers.

Summer Davis of Ephrata said she has been dancing since the age of 4 and still enjoys the thrill of competition.

"I love the freedom of being able to tell a story with your body," Davis said. "That's something that never gets old."

Winners in each of the categories for the Moses Lake Dance/Drill Invite were as follows:

Dance: Hanford, Kick: Hanford, Military: Lewis and Clark, Show: Mead, Hip Hop: Pasco, Pom: Decatur.