The Iowa State Dance Team Association (ISDTA) will mark its 50th anniversary this week by hosting the second annual junior varsity state dance championships alongside the state solo qualifier in Newton and Pella on Thursday and Friday.

More than 940 soloists and 20 JV squads will be in action for the ISDTA state solo qualifier and JV state dance championship. events, held at Newton High School, Berg Middle School, Pella High School, Pella Middle School and Pella Jefferson Intermediate School.

The solo competition begins Thursday morning at Pella and Newton Schools, and continues at all sites through Friday.

Soloists are divided into 12 classes based on school enrollment, along with two color guard classes and four entries in ISDTA’s “beyond limits” category, which celebrates dancers with super abilities.

Solo routines are evaluated by professional judges from across the United States. The Top-10 soloists in each class will advance to the state finals Dec. 3 and 4 at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines.

The JV competition will kick off Thursday at Newton’s Berg Middle School, featuring 38 routines across Pom, Hip Hop, and Jazz categories. Teams will be judged on choreography, execution, difficulty, and showmanship.

The Fort Dodge JV dance team will be competing in the Large School Jazz, Pom, and Hip Hop categories on Thursday. There will be nine Dodger varsity soloists competing on Friday in the Class 9 division.

The nine Dodger varsity soloists are Ellie Alstott (senior), Olivia Daniel (junior), Jayde Naeve (junior), Aubrey Rees (sophomore), Audra Sells (sophomore), Casey Alexander (freshman), Valyn Friedrichs (freshman), Emma Mason (freshman), and Kinley Walker (freshman).

The Fort Dodge JV Jazz squad includes Finley Farrell, Breylin Feeley, Carley Johnson, Gretta Pratt, Madi Smith and Eliana Yeoman.

The Dodger JV Pom team is Sophie Brown, Farrell, Feeley, Johnson, Carson Lamoureux, Pratt, Smith and Yeoman.

The FDSH JV Hip Hop team includes: Brown, Farrell, Feeley, Chloe Harrison, Johnson, Lamoureux, Hadley McKinney, Leah Myer, Pratt, Smith, and Yeoman.

Coaches are Emily Eastwood and Shalynn Greve.

Founded in 1976, the Iowa State Dance Team Association advocates for the sports of dance, drill team, and color guard. As a national leader in dance education and performance, ISDTA continues to cultivate student growth through the art and athleticism of dance. For more information and a list of upcoming events, visit www.isdta.net.