Chaminade-Madonna dance team earns national ranking

By Julie Tyrrell - Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory

HOLLYWOOD | At a time when female athletics have been thrown into the national sports news spotlight with the recent celebration of the 27th annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day and the history-making NFL regional combine tryout for Lauren Silberman, the first female to try out for the NFL, the Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory Lionesses dance team has made headlines of its own. The team is ranked among the nation's top teams following outstanding performances at the recent National Dance Association National Competition in Orlando. The high school's dance team finished the competition ranked seventh in the nation in the medium varsity team performance division and 15th in the nation in the small varsity jazz division.

"The Chaminade-Madonna Lionesses are a group of incredible young women who are focused, passionate, and completely dedicated to the team," said head coach Lauren Broeckelmann. "I'm proud not only of the team's successful competition season, but perhaps more so of the girls' academic achievements and contributions to our school and local communities."

The Chaminade-Madonna dance team boasts a team GPA average of 3.74, and counts some of the school's top student-athletes as members. Among the team's members are Chaminade-Madonna's Student Body President, President's Volunteer Service Award recipient, Freshman Class Vice President, and Class of 2013 Valedictorian candidate. Senior co-captains Aleka Lampru and Noelle Rode are two examples of the high standards team members work towards.

Noelle is Chaminade-Madonna's vice president of the Thespian Society, vice president of the Key Club and secretary of Mu Alpha Theta, the Mathematics Honor Society. She is a member of the Spanish Honor Society, Science Honor Society, and National Honor Society. In addition, she is a House Captain for the high school's House System, a student ambassador and an extraordinary minister of holy Communion. She was recently honored as one of the top 10 students in the senior class. She has been accepted to the University of Miami, Florida State University, University of Central Florida, Stetson University and Nova Southeastern University, and plans to pursue theatre and dance at the college level.

"I am so proud to call myself a Chaminade-Madonna Lionesses dancer," said Noelle. "Our hard work earned our team a bid to nationals where for the first time in team history, we made it to the finals."

Aleka is Chaminade-Madonna's senior class president, National Spanish Honor Society president and founder and president of the iPad Club "TechKnow" Squad. She is a House Captain for the high school's House System, a leader for the school's Campus Ministry Encounter Retreat Program, and a member of the National Honor Society. She has been accepted to the University of Maryland, and plans to double major in criminology and journalism.

"Deciding to try out for the Chaminade-Madonna dance team my sophomore year was the best decision I've made in my high school career by far," said Aleka. "I've not only learned proper dance techniques and how to be a team leader, but I've gained a second family. I can't wait to see what the future holds for these talented young ladies and our amazing coaches."

With aspirations like those of the Chaminade-Madonna Lionesses dancers, one hopes the current strides in female athletics continue.