Titans competitive dance looks to build on strong Class AA debut

The Tea Area High School competitive dance team is heading into its third season under head coach Julie Loe with a mix of returning experience, new talent and a continued focus on raising the program’s standard in Class AA.

Loe brings more than 15 years of experience in competitive dance as both a dancer and coach. Her dance career began on the Brandon Valley High School dance team before she continued training with Dynamic Cheer and Dance. She later attended Minnesota State University, Mankato, as a freshman talent grant recipient.

Following college, Loe returned to Dynamic, where she continued dancing and coaching. She also pursued professional-style training through the Minnesota Timberwolves Dancers training camp and master class program. 

“Those experiences provided valuable insight into performance quality, technique, and professionalism at a high level,” said Loe. 

Since 2022, she has instructed group fitness classes, adding experience in conditioning, mobility and athlete development.

Loe began her high school coaching career at Brookings High School in 2023. She joined Tea Area in 2024 when the program transitioned from Class A to Class AA and is now entering her third season leading the Titans.

Last season marked Tea Area’s first year competing in Class AA. The Titans placed sixth in Pom and fourth in Hip Hop at the ESD Conference meet, followed by eighth in Pom and ninth in Hip Hop at the state competition.

Several Titans also earned individual honors. Leah Ackmann and Olivia Olawsky were named ESD All-Conference, while Aubrey Mehlbrech, Ackmann and Olawsky earned Academic All-State honors. Ackmann and Olawsky also received Athletic All-State honors.

The team earned an Academic Achievement Award after posting a team GPA of 3.722.

Tea Area graduated three members of last year’s team — Mehlbrech, Ackmann and Olawsky — who Loe said left a significant mark on the program.

“They were talented performers, dedicated teammates, strong leaders and excellent students,” Loe said. 

“Their commitment to excellence both on and off the dance floor helped shape our team culture and set a high standard for those who follow,” added Loe. 

The three seniors are continuing their athletic and dance careers. Olawsky will continue dancing at the University of South Dakota, while Ackmann will cheer at the University of Sioux Falls.

While the Titans will miss their contributions, the program returns five seniors who will be counted on to provide leadership this season: Ella Rood, Emersyn Cauwels, Hailee Slattery, Leah Walder and Tessa Brech.

Junior Jenny Kloos and sophomores Elizabeth Tuohino and Kinsler Derry also return.

“Our seniors have been outstanding leaders from day one,” Loe said. “Each dancer brings her own unique strengths to the team, and together they have played a major role in fostering a positive culture built on hard work, accountability and support for one another.”

Tea Area has added three newcomers to the program this season: freshmen Ayah Miller and Autumn Tielbur, along with eighth-grader Taytem Petrik.

All three are new to competing in sanctioned dance, but Loe said they have already demonstrated a willingness to learn and contribute.

“We’re excited about the addition of two freshmen and an eighth grader who have the potential to make an immediate impact,” she said. “They bring talent, coachability and a willingness to learn.  They have already shown they can contribute to our team’s growth and success. As they gain experience at the varsity level, I expect them to play important roles within our program.”

The full roster also includes eighth-grader Alexis Biddle.

This season, the Titans will compete in Pom and Hip Hop, giving audiences the opportunity to see two distinctly different routines.

The Pom routine centers around a fire theme, featuring intensity, power and precision. The Hip Hop routine takes a different approach with a high-energy 2000s mix designed to be fun and entertaining while showcasing the personalities of the dancers.

“We’re excited for audiences to see both sides of our team,” Loe said.

The Titans will perform their Pom routine during coronation Sept. 14 and will perform Hip Hop during halftime of the Homecoming football game Sept. 18.

Much of Tea Area’s offseason work has focused on improving execution and building depth throughout the roster.

The team participated in three to four strength and conditioning sessions and two open gyms each week during the summer.

Loe said the goal has been to raise the overall skill level of the team while developing consistency among all of the dancers.

“One of our biggest focuses as a program has been raising the overall skill level of the entire team,” she said. “ We’ve spent a lot of time developing consistency across the roster and working towards full team skills, ensuring at least half of the dancers can successfully perform more advanced elements. When everyone is executing together at a high level, it creates a stronger overall performance and has a bigger potential impact on the score sheet.”

Tea Area will face plenty of talented programs throughout the season, but Loe said the Titans aren’t concentrating on one particular opponent.

Instead, the focus is on continual improvement.

“Class AA is incredibly competitive and there are a lot of talented teams across the state,” Loe said. “We challenge our athletes to learn from each performance, make adjustments and continue raising our standard throughout the season. If we’re consistently improving and performing to our potential, the results will take care of themselves.”

The Titans’ first competition is the Mitchell Invite on Sept. 3, followed by the Pierre Spirit Invite Sept. 5 and Yankton Invite Sept. 10.

One of the biggest competitions of the regular season will be the Brookings Comp Cheer & Dance Invitational at the Dacotah Bank Center on Sept. 19, where Tea Area expects to see many of its Class AA competitors.

Other opportunities to watch the Titans include the Brandon Valley Invite Sept. 22, Harrisburg Invitational Oct. 5, Watertown Cheer/Dance Invite Oct. 8 and ESD Conference Meet Oct. 15 at Harrisburg.

The season will culminate at the 2026 SDHSAA Class AA State Competitive Dance Competition Oct. 24 at The Monument Summit Arena in Rapid City.

For Loe, success this season will be measured by more than where the Titans finish in the standings.

The program is focused on developing stronger dancers, creating greater depth and establishing a culture that can continue to grow in Class AA.

“Our goals this season go beyond placements,” Loe said. “We want to continue building a strong, sustainable program by developing well-rounded dancers, improving our overall team skill level, and creating routines we’re proud to perform.”

The Titans also hope to improve their consistency throughout the season, strengthen their execution scores and continue establishing Tea Area as a program capable of competing with the state’s top Class AA teams.

Most importantly, Loe said she wants her athletes to grow as performers, teammates and leaders while representing Tea Area.

Before the competitive season begins, the Titans will have an opportunity to perform in front of their home crowd. The team will join the Tiny Titans dancers during the Aug. 28 football game, giving the community an early look at the program and its routines.

“We’re excited to get our season underway and can’t wait to see what this group accomplishes in our short season,” Loe said. “We’d love for the community to come out to our home opener, support all of our student-athletes and catch the fun dance clinic performance. We appreciate the support our program receives and are excited to represent Tea Area throughout the season.”