When going into the 2024-25 dance season, the New Ulm Just for Kix Elite Team knew they had to prepare for the significant loss to come, with 5 out of 10 dancers on the team being seniors.

The New Ulm Just for Kix program started their “Elite group” in the 2021-22 season. Addison Hage, Jasmin Huerta, and Lauryn Ludwig, seniors now, were a part of the original elite team. Now, the team is split into five seniors and five underclassmen.

“It’s gonna be rough without these girls next year; we are going to have to find a brand new team, basically,” said head coach Lexe D’Amato. “Since we will be losing so many people, all of us coaches really have to watch for people to come in next year when you are all gone.”

“With there being so many seniors this year, it is definitely going to be hard to let them all go at the end of the year, but I know that you will all do good things,” D’Amato said. “I know that we will all be devastated after this big setback.”

When asking the seniors what they were most excited about this year, senior Ludwig said, ” I am so excited for the dances that we have gotten this season, and I can not wait to see how we compete this year.” This year, the Elite Team will compete in a sassy jazz dance and a sappy, sad lyrical.