Lynwood High School’s Dance Ensemble celebrated victory at the Sharp Las Vegas Nationals on April 8, capturing four first-place prizes and taking home the National Championship.
The 15-member Dance Ensemble – who participate in 20-plus performances per school year as well as afterschool and Saturday rehearsals – won first place in the jazz (medium), jazz (small), lyrical and dance divisions for their technical skill, precision and high-energy performances. They were also named winners of their division.
The win comes after the team was named Grand Champions at the Sharp International Dance Competition, which included local schools and dance studios, on Feb. 18. The recognition is particularly special for the seven senior members on the team, who have been a part of the Lynwood High Dance Program all four years of high school.
The team is led by dance instructor Brittany Washington, a Lynwood High alumna who danced for the Los Angeles Clippers Spirit Dance Team, was a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Rams and is the current Los Angeles Rams cheer coach. Washington is trained in tap, jazz, hip hop, ballet, pointe, modern and lyrical dance and is passionate about sharing her love for dance with her students. The team is also supported by Oscar Ortiz, a Lynwood High alumnus who is studying dance at Cal State Long Beach.
Lynwood Unified is proud to offer students access to visual and performing arts programs, sparking in students greater levels of success, fostering creative expressions and inspiring overall academic excellence.