Minnesota
Meet your Class 3A, 2A and 1A dance high kick state champions | Strib Varsity
Minnesota’s 36 high school high kick dance teams took a trip around the world within the confines of Target Center during the state tournament on Saturday, Feb. 14.
From reigning 2A state champ Totino-Grace’s “Mambo Italiano” routine and Westonka’s “Mr. Worldwide” kick line, to Rogers’ French-inspired turn series and Orono’s “Welcome to Miami” neon sequence, the theme of the day was glitter and globetrotting.
But Brainerd proved that sometimes the best inspiration is close to home.
The team’s jazzy “A Tribute to Fosse” landed the Kixters their third state high kick title in a row and their second 3A title of 2026 after Friday’s victory in the jazz competition. The school had never previously won both titles in the same year. Brainerd’s last state title before its current run began in 2024 came in 1999.
Head coach Cindy Clough credits the latest victory to how close-knit the team is, growing up dancing at the same studio in Brainerd.
“They are like a family,” Clough said. “For me as a coach, this has been one of my favorite years because there’s been no drama.”
“There’s so much love,” senior captain Louie Korhonen said. “We all grew up dancing at the same studio, so we really knew each other from the age of 6 to now.”
Eastview’s air, earth, water and fire “Elements” routine kicked it into second for the second year in a row.
See how the bald eagle’s story shows its enduring symbolism
As the U.S. celebrates 250 years, the bald eagle endures as North America’s native sea eagle and national bird.
The common loon, Minnesota’s state bird, is more closely related to a penguin than a duck.
Despite loons predominantly living in the northern hemisphere and penguins mostly living in the southern hemisphere, researchers consider them to be genetic cousins. Taxonomic analyses placed them in an evolutionary cluster tracing back 40 million to 50 million years ago, along with herons and pelicans.
While loons and ducks share habitat on Minnesota lakes, they aren’t close relatives. Ducks are closer cousins to geese and swans.
After sharing a common ancestor, penguins and loons developed distinct characteristics. Loons can fly, but struggle to move on land; penguins can’t fly, but waddle on land. Penguins use flipper-like wings to swim; loons use webbed feet for underwater propulsion.
They have some similar features, however, including dense bones to help dive underwater and their tuxedo coloring.
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Fires in the past burned more frequently in western Canada, but recent years have seen that trend migrate eastward, with large fires now burning in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic provinces, Prof Chasmer said, leading to more noticeable smoke in densely populated cities like Toronto and New York.
Minnesota United, the Liberia Lone Star National Football Team and SARX today announced that the international friendly against the Liberia National Team, scheduled for July 26, 2026, has been canceled.
While we were looking forward to welcoming the Liberia National Team and celebrating the strong ties between Minnesota’s Liberian community and our club, circumstances outside of our control have made it necessary to cancel the match. We appreciate the understanding of our supporters and wish the Liberia National Team all the best.
Fans who purchased tickets to the match will be refunded within approximately 3-10 business days.
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