AHA Dancers Score Medals, Top Ten Finishes at Nationals

Academy of the Holy Angels dancers fuse grace and grit to consistently power to the top of the Universal Dance Association High School National Championship. This year, the varsity dancers earned a silver medal in small varsity hip-hop, finishing second in a field of 37 of the nation’s best teams. Varsity also earned a bronze for finishing third out of 57 teams in small varsity pom.
 
The JV dancers brought home a silver medal in pom, and finished sixth in the nation in hip-hop.
 
Holy Angels’ brand new middle school team finished sixth in hip-hop. The dancers also finished eighth in Game Day, a division that allows teams to showcase school traditions, school involvement, and community service.
 
AHA Head Dance Coach Jenny Sweet praised all of the Academy’s competitors, who fared well despite having to limit practice time and forgo other competitions to minimize potential exposure to COVID-19.

“In true Angel fashion, we tackled all obstacles head on and together,” Sweet said. “The dancers practiced virtually and in small groups leading up to the National Dance Team Championship. This year’s accolades are amazing and something to be so proud of. What is even more impressive is the resilience of the 2021-2022 team.”  
 
She added that both of the varsity team’s routines will be featured on ESPN in April.
 
Sweet’s varsity team includes Mackenzie Crimmins, Quinn Reicherz, Ava McAdams, Melina Hiza, Juliet Gelineau, Karis Cho, Noelle Wacker, Katie Fragola, Arwen Parmelee, Ella Cho, and Hannah Kim.
 
The JV squad is coached by Alyssa Aponte. The team includes Samantha Zeccardi, Chloe Kwon, Kathleen Bing, Yeon Choe, Caroline Kartman, Caelyn Lindsay, Alexandra Nicholas, Maggie Yu, Maggie Danahy, Olivia Leys, Gianna Pasquale, Isabella McMahon, Jordyn Wynn, and Lydia Schmidhauser.
 
This year’s UDA event marked the national debut of the AHA Middle School Dance Team.
 
“These dancers didn’t disappoint against powerhouse programs who have been taking their middle school teams for over 20 years,” Sweet noted.
 
Kristen DePeri and Krystina Vafiadis coach the middle school team. Members include Isabella Rodriguez, Sophia Garzon, Cristyn Lindsay, Ava Cifelli, Emily Kho, Maddie Krol, Annabella de Leon, Lyla Dove, Cyia Sabathia, and Leyla Ziemba.
 
Founded by the School Sisters of Notre Dame in 1879, the Academy of the Holy Angels is the oldest private girls’ school in Bergen County. While AHA is steeped in Catholic tradition, this prestigious school serves young women from a broad spectrum of cultural and religious backgrounds. The Academy’s current leaders continue to further the SSND mission to provide each student with the tools she needs to reach the fullness of her potential—spiritually, intellectually, socially, and physically, by offering a first-rate education in a nurturing environment where equal importance is placed on academic excellence, character development, moral integrity, and service to others.