The Oakton dancers placed 12th in the varsity high kick event. Photo contributed
The Oakton High School dance team brought home a finalist trophy from the annual Universal Dance Association National Dance Team Championship held Jan. 30 through Feb. 1 at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Fla. Under the direction of head coach Karen Rowley and assistant coaches Jennifer Wright and Bethany Johnson and under the leadership of senior captains Riley Downing and Emily Hazlett, the Oakton dancers placed 12th in the varsity high kick event. The three-day competition brought more than 5,000 dancers comprising more than 200 teams from across the nation to determine the best of the best.
This was not Oakton's first successful trip to Nationals. During the 19 years of Coach Rowley's tenure, Oakton's dance team has placed in the top 15 in the country fifteen times. Oakton High School’s team is the only team among Fairfax County Public Schools or other northern Virginia high school teams to accomplish this feat.