This spring break, the De Soto High School Diamond dancers got the exciting opportunity to compete at a national dance competition at North Texas University in Denton, Texas.

The competition was run by the American Dance and Drill Team and was for international high schools and colleges. Around 100 teams attended, with only two being from Kansas.

The Diamonds competed against six other teams in their Extra-Small Varsity division with their three group dances, as well as entering three solos and two duets.

Nerves ran high among the Diamonds before the competition.

“We went into the competition not knowing what other teams there were or how good they were, so we had no idea what we were up against,” said senior dance team captain Kelsey Mills. “Preparing for the unknown was definitely very challenging for us.”

The Diamonds overcame the challenge of the unknown and won in every category they entered, going on to become the Overall Extra-Small Varsity Champions.

The Diamonds had many more achievements along with becoming the Overall Extra-Small Varsity Champions. Mills and freshman Olivia Mills won Overall Duet Champions. Kelsey also won Extra-Small Solo Champion, with fellow Diamond senior Christa Stenzel taking runner-up.

Stenzel found the whole experience to be very rewarding.

“The most rewarding part of the experience was at awards when we won Overall Champions because it was just nice to know that all those hours of 6 a.m. practices, late night Monday practices and bad performances we’ve been through was worth it to make it to where we are now,” Stenzel said.

The Diamonds will perform the routines that earned them a National Championship one last time at their Spring Show at Lexington Trails Middle School on April 13.