This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
03/09/2019 11:00 PMThe Branford dance team took the floor for final time this year when it competed at last weekend’s New England Championship. The Hornets turned in a pair of show-stopping performances and walked off the floor with a regional title in the Hip-Hip Division on March 9. Branford also placed second in the Jazz Division on an afternoon that proved a fitting encore for a storybook season.
“We’re extremely happy,” Coach Jacqui Montano said. “To go 1-2 against so many amazing teams is no small feat.”
Branford came into the New England Championship on the heels of winning titles in the Small Varsity Hip-Hop and Jazz divisions at the State Championship on Feb. 23. The two victories marked the fifth-straight season that the Hornets won for both hip-hop and jazz at states. It was the 12th time in 13 years that they finished first in hip-hop and the seventh time in 10 years they won for jazz.
Branford had to make fast adjustments to the routines it performed in states after one of its dancers got sick in the days leading up to the meet. With that athlete back in the mix, the Hornets returned to their original routines when they competed at the New England Championship in Braintree, Massachusetts.
Branford finished first in the Hip-Hop Division by totaling a score of 274.5 points, well ahead of runner-up Fairfield Warde with its score of 255.5. Fairfield Warde had previously taken first place in the Large Varsity Hip-Hop Division at the State Championship. Branford, which finished second in hip-hop at last year’s New England Championship, has now won the regional title for that division in five of the last seven seasons.
The Hornets posted a score of 250.5 to come in second place in the Jazz Division at regionals. Braintree, Massachusetts finished in first place with a score of 255.5. Branford had won the jazz title at the New England meet the past two seasons. At this year’s meet, 10 teams competed in the Hip-Hop Division, and nine teams competed in the Jazz Division.
Coach Montano was ecstatic that Branford took back the hip-hop title at New Englands. Montano said that both Hornets’ routines were even better than their victorious performances at states.
“What stuck out the most was how excited they were to perform one last time,” said Montano, who coaches Branford with Megan Palluzzi. “There were no nerves. They were just all excited to go out there and dance together for the last time. It was about enjoying every moment on the floor and absorbing every minute of it all. It was a great way to end the season.”
The athletes on the Branford dance team are senior captains Casey Allen and Lily Milici; fellow seniors Hannah Antonino, Rachel LaBonte, and Chloe Lourenco-Lang; juniors Samantha Esposito, Johnna Palmese, Bella Petrosino, Juliana Robinson, and Olivia Vitale; sophomore Layla Redente; and freshmen Emma Angelo, Mallory Baughman, and Anna Perricone.
Milici has contributed to a ton of titles since joining the program as a freshman. She said it means everything to cap off her career by helping Branford bring home another hip-hop championship.
“The victory in hip-hop felt absolutely incredible. I was so thrilled to back the regional title this year,” said Milici. “We really came together as a team to show the judges and the audience how bad we truly wanted this. The routine was full of energy, and all of the hard times we have been through were so worth it once we got the title back.”
Branford performed a hip-hop routine that filled with the room with energy at the regional meet. With loud music thumping through the floor, the Hornets got hyped up and delivered a performance that commanded the attention of both the judges on the panel and the fans in the stands.
“All of the tricks hit, and they hit a lot of last-minute things that they wanted to see happen in their final performance. It was amazing to see the five seniors finish together and to feel the crowd’s excitement through their performance,” Coach Palluzzi said. “There’s nothing better than an attentive crowd, and they certainly felt appreciated for their craft when finishing the routine. It was the final two minutes of the team from this season, and you could see how badly they wanted the title. They did exactly what we went there to do.”
Palluzzi and Montano agreed that Branford also performed it best jazz routine of the season in New Englands. Just like at states, the Hornets danced to a cover version of the inspirational song “Ooh Child.” Branford put forth a heartfelt performance that captivated the audience, resulting in a flood of emotion, along with a standing ovation.
Like many other people, senior captain Allen got caught up in the moment as the Hornets told their story for the final time.
“I couldn’t stop crying throughout the entire routine, it being my last one. Nothing beats dancing with my best friends, and I can’t believe I won’t have the opportunity again,” Allen said. “We did our best and had no regrets, which is all we could ever ask for. We all connected to the same story on the floor, making me one very proud captain.”
Montano and Palluzzi are both proud coaches following Branford’s latest championship effort. Montano said the 2018-’19 Branford dance team was defined by its ability to push past setbacks and perform at its peak when the stakes were at their greatest. The result was another campaign that will forever be etched in Hornets’ history.
“We had a lot of obstacles to fight through this year, but in the end, this team knows how to rally when it matters most,” said Montano. “They always pull through, no matter the challenge, and we pulled through together stronger than ever.”