Schools
Spirits Soar For Laduette Dance Team
The young women perform for Ladue events and all over the community.
There is a team at Ladue Horton Watkins High School that never scores a bucket or a field goal. But they are one of the most popular and successful squads year in and year out.
This team wears sequined outfits and they are the "Laduettes." The team members are some of the finest, most talented dancers in the Midwest.
The Laduettes dazzle the fans at football and basketball games; pep rallies, and other school and community events. They have performed for Pedal for a Cause and assisted with a fashion show for Kids with Cancer. They always make a big hit at Blue & White night to kick off the fall sports season.
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These are true dancers who love to perform for the public, and know how to bring home awards.
In early December, the team competed in the Lindbergh High Invitational, taking third-place in Hip Hop and fourth in poms. In January, they took first place at the St. Charles Classic in both pom and Hip Hop.
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The end of February, the 15-member squad competed at nationals in Orlando, FL, reaching the semifinal round in both pom and Hip Hop, and were 19th overall.
“The Laduette Dance team is a group of dedicated and truly talented girls.Their hard work shows with every performance,” said one of their coaches Julie Fields, who was a Laduette 10 years ago. Fields is co-coach with another former Laduette Alexandra Whaley Guenther.
Susan Dielmann, publicist for the Ladue School District, has a daughter on the team.
"They are an outstanding group of young women," she said. "Talented yes, but very close and truly kind people."
When she helped braid their hair, she got friendly "thank yous" and "take your time." Dielmann found that refreshing from teenagers.
These are the members of the 2012-13 Laduette team:
Seniors: Brooke Hyman, Christine Burmeister, Meredith Schehl, and Natalie Muchnick.
Juniors: Vivian Phung, Rachel Taryle, Haley Bussard, Shir Barzilay and Sydney Dielmann.
Sophomores: Jordan Kaplan, Phoebe Carlson, and Alyson Yawitz.
Freshmen: Sabrina Medler, Molly Smith and Madeline Spirtas.
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