Small but mighty: six member GC dance team brings home state pom title

Cara Doak is well aware of the preconceived notions that outsiders may hold about competitive dance, but to the six girls that she coaches, the 120-second routine they get to present once a year is a monumental occasion.
           
“It’s not like a regular team where if one girl is struggling, we’re going to put her on the bench, and you’re going to take over,” Doak said. “You practice for 200 hours for a two-minute performance that’s based on subjective judging.”
           
For the second straight year, the Spartans returned from the Iowa State Dance and Drill Team Association Championships on December 1 with a first place trophy in the pom category, and the award marks the fifth title during Doak’s 11-year tenure. Judges graded Grundy Center a full seven points above runner-up Lawton-Bronson for their “On Fire” mix, a medley of songs about man’s first invention.
           
Each team is different, and with such a small unit this season, the group had to be in sync all of the time. That aspect was a bit nerve-wracking for the dancers, but with four seniors, they came into it prepared.
           
“As a team, you really have to know that you have to work together, to all be dedicated, to all be committed, and you have to have similar goals and be willing to work together all the time,” senior Olivia Opheim said. “And just know that you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.” 
 
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