Beamer hip-hop dance team wins eighth state title in last 10 years

The Todd Beamer High School dance team is the gold standard in the hip-hop division. For the eighth time in the last 10 years, Beamer snagged the hip-hop title at the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) Dance/Drill State Championships last month inside the Yakima SunDome.

April 25, 2013 6:58 pm
The Todd Beamer High School hip-hop dance team won its eighth state championship in the last 10 years recently at the Yakima SunDome.
The Todd Beamer High School hip-hop dance team won its eighth state championship in the last 10 years recently at the Yakima SunDome.

The Todd Beamer High School dance team is the gold standard in the hip-hop division. For the eighth time in the last 10 years, Beamer snagged the hip-hop title at the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) Dance/Drill State Championships last month inside the Yakima SunDome.

Beamer blew away the rest of the competition in the Class 4A competition in  Yakima. The Titans tallied 281.2 points to win the hip-hop category. Pasco followed with 273.3 points and Kentwood was third (270.6).

The Titans also went on the next week to finish second and third in their divisions at the USA Nationals 2013 Dance/Drill Championships, which were held March 29-30 inside the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, Calif.

The 21-member team is coached by Valicia Valiani and the team also won the West Central District championship. Team captains include Dezmond Garcia, Madison Niksich and Sorelle Hardin, who are all seniors at Todd Beamer. Other members of the team are Megan Aasen, Madeline Blauser, Justin Bowman, Sarah Clow, Kalena Corpuz, Sakile Fundisha-Bey, Layne Hardin, Laura Islas, Tyrik Jackson, Ha Young Kim, Nicki Marie Sainte, Breanna Mathews, Mia Newberry, Jhasmine Rabara, Natalie Smith, Juliana Song, Anna Yi and Adam Yoon.

The dance team’s season will officially end May 3-4 with their annual showcase, the Beamer Breakdown.

The Beamer Breakdown is a dance show that features their winning state and national routines, as well as other dance styles, including contemporary, jazz and ballroom. The Beamer Breakdown also includes performances by other award-winning guest groups, including professional dance groups as well as Illahee Middle School, among others.

Beamer Breakdown ticket sales provide the primary source of funding for the team’s costumes and travel to events. Tickets are available at the door for $8 for students and $10 for adults. For group discount rates or other ticket information, contact kellilauritzen@comcast.net.