Comet dancers Allen, Jepperson sign with Hawkeye CC

By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — When it comes to success in show business, often it’s best to be in the right place at the right time.

Charles City Pom/Dance Squad member Amari Allen just so happened to be in the right place at the right times thanks to fellow teammate Samantha Jepperson.

Jepperson had visited Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo with the possibility of eventually enrolling there and becoming a member of the RedTails’ Dance Team.

“After Samantha’s visit, I decided to come down here to watch her dance,” said RedTails’ Dance Team coach Meghan Reilly, “and that’s when I met Amari.”

On Tuesday, Allen and Jepperson both signed to be students and dancers for Hawkeye Community College.

“I was looking for one and I ended up getting two,” Reilly said. “This is my first year as coach, so I can’t tell you if we had any Charles City dancers before.”

There’s a good chance Hawkeye hasn’t.

The Charles City Pom/Dance program is only several years old. It was started by a group of Charles City students with the help of head coach Keisha Cunnings.

The team often performs during halftimes of Charles City boys and girls home basketball games, but it also competes and performs at other venues.

At the Iowa State Dance and Drill Team Association Team Championships held last Nov. 30-Dec. 2 in Des Moines, the CC squad received Division 1 ratings in both Hip-Hop and Pom.

It was the first time the Charles City dancers competed in two different categories at the championships.

This past January, the CC Pom Squad hosted its first Dance Showcase at the high school featuring dance teams from other high schools and colleges.

Like most performers, even the experienced and accomplished ones, Allen and Jepperson admit they still get nervous leading up the show. That also goes for moving up to the next level.

“I’m a little nervous about going to dance for a college, but I’m excited,” Jepperson said.

Allen is also excited about dancing in college, something she said in a previous interview she was hoping to do after high school.