At the School Board Meeting of September 9, 2026, School Board Member Luisa Santos proffered agenda item B-7, recognizing the Southwood Middle School Superstars and Coral Reef Senior High School Varsity Cudettes dance teams.
The Southwood Middle School Superstars Dance Team made history as the first Miami-Dade County Public Schools middle school to compete at the ICU World Championships, winning the USA Youth Hip Hop Team World Championship, along with the 2026 Junior High Jazz and 2026 Junior Hip Hop National Championship titles, and receiving the Choreography Award for a jazz piece among Elementary, Junior High, and Junior Varsity High School teams. The Southwood Middle School dance program is led by Magnet Dance Director and Superstars Dance Team Director Hilda Jimenez, who has served as the dance director at Southwood for 33 years, alongside Assistant Coach Julianna Acosta and Technical Director Miranda Jimenez.
The Coral Reef Senior High School Varsity Cudettes reached unprecedented heights, becoming the first high school to win gold medals in both Junior Hip Hop and Premier Jazz at the International Cheer Union (ICU) World Championships, representing the USA Team. The Cudettes also secured the 2026 UDA Large Varsity Division Jazz National Championship title. The Coral Reef Senior High School dance program is led by Activities Director and Magnet Dance Director Rebecca Santalo, the 2024 National High School Dance Coach of the Year, who opened the Coral Reef Magnet Dance program in 1997 and founded the Cudettes in 1998, alongside Choreographer, former team member, Assistant Coach, and full-time Fine Arts Dance Director Danielle Solano.
The ICU is the official world governing body for cheerleading and performance cheer, representing 126 national federations and more than 10 million athletes worldwide. Founded in 2004, the ICU hosts the annual World Championships in Orlando, Florida, organizes the Cheerleading World Championships, and establishes international rules and standards. The ICU has been fully recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) since 2021 as the global authority for the sport.
The School Board of Miami-Dade County, Florida, recognizes and celebrates the Southwood Middle School Superstars and the Coral Reef Senior High School Varsity Cudettes, as well as their coaches, directors, and dancers, for their historic world and national championship achievements at the ICU World Championships and UDA National Dance Team Championships.
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