header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
December 21
1910 - Newhall (Auto) Tunnel opens, bypassing Beale's Cut [story]
Newhall Tunnel


[KHTS] – The Hart dance team performed live on the prime-time NBC show “America’s Got Talent” Tuesday night, and Santa Clarita residents can tune in to the live results show Wednesday at 9 p.m. to find out if the team will advance to the next round of the competition.

The 26-member dance team was one of 12 acts featured in Tuesday’s show and performed in front of a live studio audience on the Radio City Music Hall stage in New York, said Jenny Altenau, the team’s booster president.

hart-dance-team-competes-prime-time-nbc-show-‘america’s-2“It’s a real honor for them to participate in something of this caliber,” said Katherine Leist, the team’s coach, director and choreographer. “It’s a really special time for us to see how our accomplishments have lead us to such success and to reach goals that they really never could have even imagined.”

Only five of the 12 acts will continue on in the nationwide talent competition after the results are announced.

The 90-second performance, which was set to a mixed version of Lorde’s “Team” and Ellie Goulding’s “Burn,” featured the girls dancing in front of a large prop in mirror-covered costumes that reflected the electric-blue lighting as they moved.

“It was a shattered mirror look, so the girls had mirrors all over their bodies and they were in full unitard,” Leist said. “They had a huge prop that was kind of like a jungle gym in the front with poles, and it opened up in the center so they could climb all over it and morph into it. That was our whole theme, morphing into the prop.”

One dancer even hung from the ceiling, creating a Cirque du Soleil effect similar to past performances.

Leist said their goal for the routine was to incorporate more choreography and technique because of previous comments by the judges, who said they wanted to see more dancing.

“It’s been really incredible to a part of something so big,” said 18-year-old Hannah Ritchie, who has been a member of the team all four years of high school. “It feels so amazing to be part of the first group to take such big leaps as a high school dance team.”

The team was first invited to Hollywood to audition at the Dolby Theatre on April 24, so they didn’t have to go through the process of open casting calls, Leist said.

The invitation followed the 2014 United Spirit Association National Dance Competition at the Anaheim Convention Center in March, where the team gained nationwide attention after taking home a National Champion title.

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

8 Comments

  1. I know the parents of one of the girls, owns Jimmys Burgers in Noho

  2. Kelly Robins says:

    I agree with Howard!

  3. I saw that tonight. They were great

  4. They didn’t make it they got cut

  5. I saw it sorry girls you were fantastic.

  6. we just watched it! they were great!

  7. Jan Porlier says:

    Did you see this Lindsay Porlier–alumni Hart dance team.

Leave a Comment


LOCAL SCHOOL LINKS
Related Content
LATEST SCHOOL NEWS
Friday, Dec 19, 2025
The Saugus Union School District Governing Board of Trustees elected Matthew Watson as 2026 board president at the Tuesday, Dec. 16 organizational meeting.
Wednesday, Dec 17, 2025
The Newhall School District Board of Trustees met on Tuesday, Dec. 16 for its annual organiational meeting.
Wednesday, Dec 17, 2025
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond today announced that registration is open for the second annual School Leadership to End Hate Winter Institute, co-hosted by the California Department of Education and the California Teachers Collaborative for Holocaust and Genocide Education.
Monday, Dec 15, 2025
The Regular/Organizational Meeting of the Castaic Union School District Board of Trustees will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 16 at 6 p.m.
Monday, Dec 15, 2025
The Saugus Union School District Governing Board of Trustees will hold its annual organizational meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 16 at 6:30 p.m. at the Saugus District Education Center.

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
The weather might not be "frightful" yet, but Santa Clarita Valley residents may experience a soggy and cold Christmas Day this year. Rain is expected in the SCV beginning Tuesday, Dec. 23 in the evening and continuing into Friday, Dec. 26
Dec. 22: Burn Ban Day for SCV, Rains Start Dec. 23
1910 - Newhall (Auto) Tunnel opens, bypassing Beale's Cut [story]
Newhall Tunnel
1892 - Benjamin Harrison establishes 555,520-acre San Gabriel Timberland Reserve (Angeles National Forest). First forest reserve in California, second in U.S. [story]
map
The Saugus Union School District Governing Board of Trustees elected Matthew Watson as 2026 board president at the Tuesday, Dec. 16 organizational meeting.
Watson Elected SUSD Board of Trustees President
Los Angeles–based painter Jasimen Phillips is a featured artist in the city of Santa Clarita’s “Pop Culture” exhibition, currently on view at the Newhall Community Center through March 25, 2026.
Phillips Examines Evolving Relationship with Technology in Exhibit
The Gibbon Conservation Center in Saugus is requesting donations, including memberships and gibbon adoption sponsorships to reach a matching goal of $15,000.
Gibbon Center Needs Donations to Meet $15K Match
The Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees failed to complete its annual organizational vote to elect a new board president during its meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 17.
COC Board Fails to Elect New President in Deadlocked Vote
There's no better way to celebrate the season than with toys, treats, and rollercoasters. My annual Foster Youth Holiday Party is one of the most special traditions we do each year
Kathryn Barger | Keeping Up With Kathryn
The Canyon Theatre Guild’s production of "A Christmas Story," adds shows due to high ticket demand. Shows have been added on Sunday, Dec. 21 and Monday, Dec. 22.
CTG ‘A Christmas Story’ Adds Shows, Dec. 21-22, Due to Demand
The city of Santa Clarita will present its latest art exhibition, “Pop Culture,” on view at the Newhall Community Center now through March 25, 2026.
City Presents ‘Pop Culture’ Art Exhibit at the Newhall Community Center
This week’s Foothill League matches resulted in the Saugus boys getting a firmer grip on first place, and the Saugus girls slipping into second place. Meanwhile, holiday tournaments are bringing both wins and losses from non-league teams, with more on the way.
Foothill League Soccer: Saugus Boys, Hart Girls Leading
1970 - Snow day in Santa Clarita Valley [photos]
Saugus train station
Do you have a passion for swimming and a desire to make an impact in your community? The city of Santa Clarita is seeking individuals with strong customer service skills and a commitment to community engagement to join its lifeguard team.
Applications Are Open for the Summer 2026 Lifeguard Season
Santa Clarita Valley residents need to put down the yule log and refrain from all residental wood burning fires on Friday, Dec. 19.
Dec. 19: No Burn Day Alert Issued for SCV, South Coast Air Basin
U.S. Rep. George Whitesides (D-Aqua Dulce), announced the winners of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge for California’s 27th Congressional District: the “MathViz” team led by local Academy of the Canyons student, Gautham Korrapati.
Whitesides Announces 2025 Congressional App Challenge SCV Winners
The Mardi Gras Madness 1K/5K/10K, set for March 1, in Santa Clarita, is more than a race, it’s a celebration of health, community and giving back. Now through Wednesday, Dec. 24, take $10 OFF race registration with promo code WINTER10 at checkout.
March 1: JCI Santa Clarita Holds Mardi Gras Madness 1K/5K/10K Runs
Theatre Extempore will present the all time classic musical The Fantasticks, 8-10 p.m. Jan. 9-11. 15-18 at The MAIN.
Jan. 9: Premiere of ‘The Fantasticks’ Presented by Theatre Extempore
West Ranch High School senior Braulio Castillo (17) never did any long-distance running before high school, but what he has accomplished in that demanding discipline since taking it up is impressive. And, so far his senior year, it is phenomenal.
West Ranch Runner Going the Distance
Powerlab Studio will hold its grand opening and ribbon cutting 4:30-5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 8 at 28110 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia, CA 91355.
Jan 8: Powerlab Studio Grand Opening, Ribbon Cutting
B2 Entertainment will have a Cookies With Santa event, 3-5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21 at 21516 Golden Triangle Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91350.
Dec. 21: Cookies With Santa at MB2 Entertainment
The College of the Canyons soccer programs will be hosting 'Friday Night Footy,' small-sided pick-up games, running on Friday evenings Jan. 2 through June 26 at the COC Soccer Facility.
Jan. 2-June 26: Cougars Soccer Programs to Host ‘Friday Night Footy’
College of the Canyons sophomore pitcher Nichole Muro will continue her academic and athletic career at Cumberland University after signing with the Phoenix softball program.
Muro Signs with Cumberland University Softball Program
SCVNews.com