JOHNSTON, IOWA (January 9, 2020) — Iowa PBS will present exclusive statewide coverage of the 2020 Iowa State Dance Team Championships on Saturday, January 25, at 7PM. The two-hour program showcases highlights of all the winning routines and busy backstage action. The competition will be rebroadcast Sunday, January 26, at 1PM.
Approximately 5,000 of Iowa's best young dancers showcased their talents in what is considered to be one of the nation's largest and most prestigious events of its kind. Teams from 254 high schools and 24 colleges competed for state-championship top honors. The dance championships were held in Des Moines at Wells Fargo Arena and Hy-Vee Hall last month on December 5-6.
The competition has showcased the talents of Iowa's young dancers for more than four decades. Teams performed more than 600 routines in a variety of categories including: pom, jazz, hip-hop, contemporary, kick, lyrical, prop, novelty, color-guard, co-ed, and all-male. Judging criteria is based on appearance, choreography, execution, technique, and showmanship.
In this year's special features, Iowa PBS takes viewers behind the scenes with the Clayton Ridge High School dance team, which earned a top academic award with their 4.00 grade-point average. The program also features an interview with Holly Reimer, who talks about how dancing on the Pella Forte High School and University of Iowa dance teams helped her achieve her dream of becoming a professional dancer.
Hosts for this two-hour, fast-paced and spirited finals coverage are Andrea Dana, executive director of the Iowa State Dance Team Association; Lois Turnage, board president of the ISDTA; and Scott Eny, art and dance championships event announcer.
Viewers can also visit iowapbs.org to watch the 2020 Iowa State Dance Team Championships as well as exclusive features and behind-the-scenes moments.
Funding for this program is provided by the Friends of Iowa PBS Foundation and Musco Lighting.
Learn more at iowapbs.org.
Iowa PBS is formerly known as Iowa Public Television. New name. Same essential mission.
As Iowa's only statewide television network, Iowa PBS's mission to educate, inform, enrich and inspire Iowans guides its quality, noncommercial programming that tells Iowa's stories like no one else can. Four statewide, public channels offer programs of lasting value to Iowans, regardless of where they live or what they can afford: Iowa PBS .1, Iowa PBS KIDS .2, Iowa PBS WORLD .3 and Iowa PBS Create .4 on Channel 11, Des Moines; Channel 12, Iowa City; Channel 21, Fort Dodge; Channel 24, Mason City; Channel 27, Sioux City; Channel 32, Waterloo; Channel 32, Council Bluffs; Channel 36, Davenport; and Channel 36, Red Oak. More information can be found at iowapbs.org.
