Pictured at the Bam Jam competition in Maryland are (l-r) ballroom dance team Coach Riccardo Paccini, Kaitlyn McFadden, Lawren Speight, Assistant Coach Faizon Alexander, Trevor Herring and Coach/Advisor Pam Roberts.
Virginia Peninsula Community College’s ballroom dance team earned 15 first-place awards during an April 1 competition at the University of Maryland. The team also won two second-place awards at Bam Jam and had three division over all wins.
Competing for the first time, newcomer Lawren Speight took division over all wins in the highly contested Rhythm Newcomer 1 & 2 divisions, won the Rookie/Vet competition, and placed first in Latin Cha Cha and Rumba Newcomer 1 & 2 divisions.
Returning member Kaitlyn McFadden swept all three dance disciplines in the Bronze Rhythm division giving her the division over all win. McFadden also placed first in the Bronze Latin division in Cha Cha and Rumba.
Another newcomer, Trevor Herring, who has been dancing a few short months, reached the semifinals in two of his three divisions. Team Advisor Pam Roberts called Herring’s performance “a huge accomplishment in a big competition such as this.”
Roberts said she is proud of the the entire squad as they always represent VPCC well.
“A special shout out to veteran and Assistant Coach Faizon Alexander, who partnered both Kaitlyn and Lawren in all of their dances as well as two other ladies from different colleges who also won their dances with Faizon as their partner,” she exclaimed.
The team competes four times a year – twice each semester. However, noted Roberts, Bam Jam is its first and only competition this season. They will be training over the summer to prepare for “a very competitive season” next fall.