Friendship and dance

Heritage Pointe residents strengthen bonds on dance team

MARSHALL -- At first, the thought of forming a cheer and dance team seemed like a stretch for a group of residents at Heritage Pointe Senior Living. But over the past year, the Heritage Pointe Dragonflies have had a great time. This fall, they brought home a championship trophy for their dance routine.

"It was just a lot of fun," said Heritage Pointe resident Armella Deutz.

The Dragonflies are a team made up of residents at Heritage Pointe. Together, they've competed in a variety of events organized by Lifespark, the senior services provider that Heritage Pointe is part of. The cheer and dance competition was something new for the group, said team coach Laurie Ourada.

The Dragonfly dance team included Louise VanMoer, Bernie Dulas, Bette Minehart, Armella Deutz, Marian Stickler, Dan Versaevel, Jeff Lau, Alice Anton, Ray Hlavka and Doris Petracek.

Lau said the Dragonflies weren't sure about the idea of forming a cheer and dance team.

"But once we started on it, everyone started enjoying it," he said.

Ourada said she reached out to Annie Deutz, an instructor at Marshall Academy of Dance, to help with choreography. Deutz taught the Dragonflies their moves and worked with them to rehearse. The team also worked with some special dance partners - a group of children who joined them in their routine.

All together, the Dragonflies said the ages of the dancers in the group ranged from 2 to 98.

Armella Deutz said the young dancers that joined the Dragonflies included her own great-grandchildren.

"The kids are great. They're so full of energy," Lau said. The Dragonflies' young dance partners were also like coaches, too, helping everyone remember their choreography.

The Dragonflies' first performance, a dance routine called "Life Is Sweet," was part of the Marshall Academy of Dance's spring recital showcase in May. They got up on stage at the Schwan Community Center for the Performing Arts as the opening act of the showcase.

"They actually cheered for us," Minehart said

This fall, the Dragonflies again teamed up with Deutz and young dancers for a cheer, "Heart and Soul," and a new dance routine, set to "You've Got a Friend in Me." They filmed the dance routine at 5 Family Ranch in Marshall, and submitted it to the Lifespark competition. In September, they learned they had been named the grand champions of the Lifespark National Cheer Competition.

"I had fun," VanMoer said. It was something she said she'd do again.

The Dragonflies said there were some challenging aspects to doing choreographed dance. Everyone on the team had different physical abilities, they said.

"My biggest challenge was putting up with my walker," Stickler said.

Getting the timing of the dance moves right, and keeping everybody on the same page, were also challenges that the Dragonflies overcame as they worked on their routines.

The team has also had some losses this year. They had to say goodbye to Doris Petracek, who died in September at the age of 98, and Ray Hlavka, who died in October at the age of 95.

"I miss dancing with Ray," Minehart said. She and Hlavka had a solo dance together, she said.

Ourada said that the Dragonflies have dedicated their trophy to Petracek and Hlavka. They're going to keep the sparkly headband Petracek work for the dance routine, and Hlavka's top hat, on display with the team trophy.

The Dragonflies are now looking forward to their next challenge, group members said.