Last year Oak Lawn Community High School dance team member Adriana Hall received a rare honor to showcase her skills and perform in the Universal Dance Association’s New Year’s Day Parade in Rome, Italy. This year Hall headed to Honolulu, Hawaii for another tremendous opportunity; she was given the opportunity to perform in the Varsity Spirit Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade from Dec. 4-8.

Dance squads that attend a UDA, Universal Cheerleaders Association, National Cheerleaders Association, National Dance Alliance, United Spirit Association, or Urban Cheerleading Experience camp can nominate squad members to try out for the honor being named an All-American during a Varsity Spirit camp. When an athlete makes the All-American status, they are invited to perform at special events across the country and around the world. Based on superior dance skills, Hall earned this distinction as the top 10% of all dancers and took part in a performance with 600 dancers from across the country.

“We could not be more proud to have OLCHS and the Spartan Dance team represented by Adriana, and we know she will shine bright during her parade performance,” head coach of the dance team Ryan Brandt said.

Hall performed with the Varsity Spirit All-Americans in an exclusive performance prior to the opening ceremony of the parade and then was a part of the parade before thousands of fans lining the streets of Waikiki Beach. The parade theme was “Remembering the Past and Celebrating the Future.” This was the 80^th anniversary of this event in Hawaii, and there are only around 45 remaining survivors of the attack on Pearl Harbor, all of which are over the age of 100.

“I’m so excited to see all 600 dancers come together for a great cause,” Hall said before heading to Hawaii. “My whole family is going with me, and it will be great to spend time together with them. It will be awesome to get away after this last year and a half. I’ve never been to Hawaii. I am so excited.”

Besides being able to perform for true national heroes, athletes had the opportunity to meet cheerleaders and dancers from across the nation and enjoy learning from one another.