For the first time in its nearly five-decade history, the Iowa State Dance Team Association is hosting a championship competition for junior varsity competitors.
This Thursday and Friday, 950 soloists from varsity dance teams and color guards, along with 21 JV teams, will head to Newton and Pella for the ISDTA State Solo Qualifiers.
The solo competition will begin Thursday morning at Pella High School and Middle School with more solo competition starting at Berg Middle School in Newton that evening. All schools will continue solo competition on Friday morning. Soloists are divided into classes based on school enrollment. There are 12 classes for solos, two classes for color guard, and three individual entries in ISDTA’s Beyond Limits Category.
Solo routines are evaluated and judged by industry professionals from all corners of the United States. The top ten soloists in each class will move on to finals Dec. 4-5 at Iowa Events Center in Des Moines.
The JV competition will kick off Thursday evening at Newton High School. A JV team can enter a maximum of three categories, Pom, Hip Hop, and Jazz. Teams earn points for choreography, execution, difficulty, and showmanship.
Find the full schedule by school here.