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In its 31st year, the Miss Drill Team Utah pageant has a new claim to fame: the first time a daughter has replicated her mother's achievement.
Lone Peak High School senior and Alpine resident Autumn Nelsen, took home the pageant's crown Feb. 9, and the chance to compete in California for Miss Drill Team USA on March 29. Her mother, Heidi Nelsen, took home the same title, not the same crown necessarily, 29 years ago in 1977.
"We're the only mother/daughter combo yet," said Heidi Nelsen.
Not much has changed about the pageant over the 30 years, the Nelsens said. Neither Heidi or Autumn won money or a scholarship, but they did receive the crown and a certificate. They both had to do a solo dance routine, a modeling section displaying their knowledge of specific dance skills and a speaking round.
Autumn said she had an onstage question, "What do you do to motivate your team at six in the morning?" which she answered.
"I said something about learning how to bring unity to the group with all the different personalities and attitudes," she said.
Her mother had the same type of question to answer decades ago, but she did so in a memorized speech.
"I also had to do a military dance for 15 seconds before I started my solo routine, which they don't do anymore," Heidi said.
For Autumn, the best thing about the state competition was meeting the 11 other girls from around the state, and seeing their level of talent. The hours of practice to get there were long and tiring, however.
But she's used to long hours. She has danced since she could walk, has been Lone Peak's Drill Team captain for two years, tours with LA Dance Magic Company from California, and teaches at her mother's dance studio, Hi-Light Dance. She maintains a 4.0 GPA, and loves being with friends, and snowboarding, something which she doesn't get to do as often as she would like.
"I haven't gone this year, though, because of dance," she said.
Autumn said she was excited to go onto the California competition next week, and feels like she has a good chance of winning. She has many other competitive dance experiences and has placed well at most of them. "It was always there, she grew up dancing her whole life," said Heidi Nelsen.
This is not the only ball she's juggling. She plans to attend BYU to study exercise science after graduation, and is trying out for the Cougarettes this Saturday.
Her younger sister also dances, but her two older brothers and father, Dan, do not. But the family is supportive of Autumn's dancing and her mother's studio. |
