Local dancers perform at the Pepsi Center

Montezuma-Cortez and Dolores dance teams entertain at Denver Nuggets game

The Montezuma-Cortez and Dolores high school dance squads teamed up last weekend for a big-time experience.

With an opportunity made available by the National Dance Alliance, Krystle Hager and Sydney Schlegel of Dolores and Brianna Dennison, Nadia Lopez, Summer Harris, Danae Thompson, Delaney Maness, Tessa Porter, Ivana Shirley-Kibel, Salem Knuckles and Kyra Allen from M-CHS joined forces with a handful of other Colorado high school dance teams to perform at the Pepsi Center on Saturday, January 21 before the Denver Nuggets’ home contest against the Los Angeles Clippers.

The dancers may have been a lucky charm for the Nuggets, who went on to defeat the Clippers 123-98 after the group’s pregame performance.

The Dolores dance team performed at the Pepsi Center last year, but this year, Dolores head coach Deb Hager and M-CHS head coach Belinda Livingston partnered their teams for the adventure. The two teams practiced together in the weeks leading up to the performance and then made the trip together.

“Both teams traveled together and worked great together,” said Hager. “I am very proud of both teams for what they have accomplished.”

“I am really proud and happy of our dance team and what they have accomplished as a group this year,” said M-CHS athletic director Chris Kelley. “I am hoping that this Denver trip becomes a regular experience for our dancers.”