Rockwall, TX (May 31, 2024) – Our next Stingerette Senior Spotlight is First Lieutenant, Hadley Daffin. She is the daughter of Lindsey and Jeff Daffin and a three-year member of the team. Hadley is also this year’s Miss Jump Splits.
In her junior year, Hadley held the rank of Lieutenant. She was a member of Kick Company, Hip Hop Company and the Showstoppers Elite Team all three years. She was among the Top Five scores at line tryouts in 2021.
She has been recognized with the weekly awards of Star Dancer, Positive Polly and Miss Yes Ma’am. Hadley was also voted by the team as Best Technique in 2023 and Best Contemporary Dancer for the past two years.
She danced this year at the ADTS 2023-2024 Nationals earning first place as a Super Team and Best of the Best Team overall at the contest. The team also placed second in the International Division. They received special recognition with the Wow Award in the Production Category and were named a Wish Come True Team. Hadley also danced with the officers and Showstoppers Elite Team at nationals where they earned National Champion and Best of the Best in each of those categories.
For their accomplishments at nationals in March, the team was recognized with the RISD Board of Trustees Award for the second year in a row. With her solos, Hadley has been an ADTS National Solo Champion for the past two years. She also placed as a First Runner Up and Fourth Runner Up in the ADTS Nationals Solo Division the previous two years. She earned additional Solo Champion awards at the ADTS, MA and Showtime Contests during the past three years.
Hadley also danced with the officers and Showstoppers Elite Team which also won National Champion and Best of the Best titles at the ADTS Nationals. In addition, both groups won first place and achieved Best of the Best at the MA Regionals this year.
Hadley was a Lieutenant with the Junior Varsity Jacket Babe Drill Team during her freshman year. The team won first place at the ADTS Nationals in 2021; earning a National Champion title and Best of the Best Team and officers. Individually, she was also an ADTS Solo Champion that year.
She has been involved in several school clubs including Peer Assistance Leadership and Student Council where she served as Corresponding Secretary and Parliamentarian. With Student Council, she is a two-time recipient of the RISD Trustees Award and the TASC Sweepstakes Award. Hadley is a three-year member of National Honor Society and will graduate in the top 8% of her class.
Hadley has been dancing with the Dance FX Studio for the past five years on both the Junior Company and currently Senior Company team. Their team won first place and Best of the Best in the private studio division at the ADTS Nationals in March of this year. They also placed first in the International Division. Hadley danced with the studio at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2022 and was featured in the Mariah Carey televised finale of the parade. She performed in the parade a second time in 2023.
In the fall, Hadley will attend Kilgore College to pursue a degree in Elementary Education with hopes to fulfill her dream of becoming a world-famous Kilgore College Rangerette.
Submitted by Cheryl Millican LaFlame, edited for publication in Blue Ribbon News. Courtesy photo.