About Us

The Ashwaubenon Jaguaress Dance Team is an award-winning athletic program with a tradition of high standards and expectations. Its purpose is to cultivate a love of dance among its members, to develop a true sense of self-discipline and excellence in working together as a team, and to foster a sense of community and responsibility to each other, the program, and the Ashwaubenon High School community.
 
The Jaguaress Dance Team is a competitive team, truly comparable to all sports at Ashwaubenon High School.   While on the team the dancers learn the concepts and movement patterns of different styles of dance.
 
Primary Focus- (Main competitive routines)
Pom - Emphasis on synchronization and visual effect of the poms.
High Kick - Emphasis on quality of kicks and visual effect of kicks.
 
Secondary Focus- (Performed on select years based off of the coach’s discretion)
Jazz - Emphasis on technical moves, style, and execution.
Hip-Hop - Emphasis on sharp, synchronized choreography; street dance or hip hop style.
Fall Football Routine – Emphasis on crowd appeal and the capability of being performed on a football field.
Sidelines – Emphasis on choreography that can be performed to no particular song.
 
The dancers are required to a three-season (Summer, Fall and Winter) commitment during the school year. We perform at various varsity football and basketball games including the Homecoming Pep Assembly and Parade. We also perform at all post-season playoff games for both the football and basketball teams.
 
The competition portion of the season starts in November. The team competes at various competitions on Saturdays throughout winter.  In the past the team has attended the WACPC Game Day Competition, Franklin Saber Showdown, Hortonville Dance Invitational, Homestead Dance Classic, Pulaski Showcase, The De Pere Dance-Off, Wauwatosa West Trojan Invitational, Milwaukee Bucks Dance Competition, Green Bay Holiday Dance Classic, Little Chute Invitational, Freedom Irish Invitational, Oshkosh West Wildcat Dance Invitational and the Kaukauna Dance Classic.  At the end of the season there is the WACPC Regional Competition that the team can perform two of their best competition routines. In 2018 the Ashwaubenon Dance Team became WACPC Regional Champions in Division 1 Kick.  If either/both of the routines qualify, there is then the WACPC State Dance Competition the first weekend in February.
 
In 2020, the Jaguaress Dance Team became WACPC State Dance Runner Ups in both Division 2 Kick and Division 2 Pom.  In the past our dance program has been awarded a State Championship Title. (2019 – Division 2 Kick & Division 2 Pom, 2018 - Division 1 Kick, 2014 – Division 2 Pom, 1988 – Novelty)
 
In 2011, the Jaguaress Dance Team hosted the first ever dance competition at Ashwaubenon High School for various Dance Teams throughout Wisconsin to come and compete at. The Ashwaubenon Dance Invitational is held annually on the first Saturday in December. The competition has reached maximum capacity of 95 dance teams. It has become one of the largest and most prestigious competitions in the State of Wisconsin.
 
The team has been able to attend out of state Dance Competitions since starting the Ashwaubenon Dance Invitational in 2011.  In 2013, the Jaguaress Dancers raised enough funds to be able to attend the DX Americup Competition in Minneapolis, MN.  In 2014, the team raised enough to attend the Contest of Champions Competition in Orlando, FL.  In 2017, the Jaguaress Dance Team became Champions in the Contest of Champions Small Pom Division. In 2018, the Jaguaress Dance Team became Champions in the DX Americup’s High School Pom and High School Kick Divisions as well as received the Grand Champion Award for best High School Routine at the competition.
 
If you’re reading this, then you have some sort of interest in the Ashwaubenon Jaguaress Dance Team.  As the coaches of this team, we want to let you know why we think you should join our team…
 
There are many options for what you can choose to do in high school.  There are many clubs, athletic teams, and organizations to occupy your time. Joining the dance team will be a huge time commitment, but for many, the time commitment is well worth it. You will learn a lot about yourselves and begin to learn how to manage your time. This team spends a lot of time together throughout the season and you’ll make friendships that can last a lifetime.  You will be challenged both physically and mentally at the various practices and performances throughout the season.  By joining this team you will create some of the best memories you will have in high school and will have the TIME OF YOUR LIFE while participating in it!!!!!
 
This team is made up individuals of a wide range of ability levels.  Some individuals that make the team will be very experienced dancers and others may have never danced a day in their life.  This is one of the aspects that make high school dance teams so much different than other advanced studio teams.  We have the ability to mold/form each and every unique individual into a group of synchronized dancers.  We are like a family, we persevere though hard times and grow through the use of teamwork, friendship, goal-setting, dedication, inspiration, passion, and the love for each and every member who is on the team.
 
Every individual that makes the team will be required to be present on competition days. Dancers may be chosen to be alternates on the team to fill spots in case of injures but those chosen to be alternates are just as important to the team as the dancers chosen to dance in the particular competitive dances.
 
Being on a performance-based team will be different than any other sport you have been on.  Every decision you make whether good or bad will affect the team.  If the individuals on the team make good choices, the team will be successful.  If even one individual makes a poor choice, it could ruin an entire season of hard work and dedication.  Unlike other sports we do not have a selection of back-up dancers that can walk in and take someone spot.  It takes months of preparation and hard work to prepare an individual to be at the performance level needed on competition days.
 
A great thing about this team is that there is no size cap to our team.  So if you’re interested, spread the word to other individuals that are interested in joining the team.  Also, if you are able to handle it from a time and financial perspective, there is absolutely no reason that you can’t continue to pursue some of the activities that you were involved with prior to joining the Jaguaress Dance Team.
 
This will be Coach Rodney Anderson’s 15th year coaching a varsity dance team.  (11th Year with Ashwaubenon / 4 Years with Waupaca)  In his 15 years of coaching, he has choreographed 9 Varsity State Championship winning routines. (4 Pom / 3 Jazz / 2 Kick) (4 with Ashwaubenon / 4 with Waupaca / 1 with Franklin)  He has also taken all 14 teams he has coached to the WACPC State Dance Competition since he has started coaching in 2006.   These are the WACPC Top 5 Placements since he began coaching the Ashwaubenon Jaguaress Dance Team:
 
WACPC AWARDS:
1st Place Division 2 Kick – 2019
1st Place Division 1 Kick – 2018
1st Place Division 2 Pom – 2019 / 2014
2nd Place – Division 2 Pom – 2020
2nd Place – Division 2 Kick – 2020
3rd Place Division 2 Pom – 2018
4th Place Division 2 Pom – 2016 / 2015
4th Place Division 1 Jazz – 2015 / 2014
5th Place Division 2 Pom – 2017 / 2013


This will be Coach Andrew Meinel’s 11th year with the Ashwaubenon Jaguaress Dance Team.  Besides helping out at practices/competitions he spends multiple hours planning fundraisers, cutting music, creating formations, helping design and rhinestone uniforms, and coordinating one of the largest dance team competitions in the state of Wisconsin.  He has also helped choreograph many of the successful routines since he started coaching.  During the 2014-2015 season, he was voted in as District 3 Representative of the WACPC.  The WACPC is the governing body for both Cheer and Dance in Wisconsin and hosts the Regional and State competitions.  He served on the board of directors for 4 years.
 
Ashley Shimanek will also be around to help out throughout the season.  She shadowed Coach Rodney and Coach Andrew and has since started the Middle School program for Ashwaubenon School District.  In 2019 the Jaguaress Junior Middle School Dance Team took 3rd Place in Middle Pom at the State JAM Competition.  Ashley danced on the Ashwaubenon Jaguaress Dance Team throughout high school as well as danced on the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay Dance Team in her first year of college. 
 
We’re excited for the coming year… excited for new costumes, new music, new choreography, and the new dancers joining our team.  We look forward to what the season holds for this team.
 
We believe in this team and every dancer that makes the team! We believe you will grow as an individual and as a dancer on this team!  We believe you will be successful! 
 
Coaches Rodney Anderson, Andrew Meinel and Ashley Shimanek
2020-2021 Ashwaubenon Jaguaress Dance Team