Karen Floyd (second from left) and Roe Ann Oberg (center) with past Lifetime Achievement honorees.
Karen Floyd (second from left) and Roe Ann Oberg (center) with past Lifetime Achievement honorees.

Karen Floyd and Roe Ann Oberg have been honored as the 2020 Dance Drill Coaches Association (DDCA) Lifetime Achievement honorees.

Floyd and Oberg were part of the original “Founding Sisters” who came together to make Oregon dance team possible.

Karen Floyd

After graduating from Portland State University, Floyd was hired to teach and be the dance team coach at Putnam. She went on to coach the Royal Crowns for 11 years. For 30 years, she organized and served as the director of the Putnam Halftime Competition. She was also helped establish the first state dance competition and has watched it grow to where it is today, which gives her an overwhelming sense of pride. Floyd served on the first Oregon High School Dance Drill Association (OHSDDA) board of directors. She also served as head of the Judges Association, developing and creating the information for judges and training clinics, while judging at local and state competitions. She feels fortunate to have developed so many wonderful long last friendships because of her involvement in what is now DDCA.

Roe Ann Oberg

Oberg taught social studies at Canby for 31 years. Early in her coaching career, she coached the Canby Kickin’ Kittens dance team, winning numerous awards at local and state competitions. She was one of the five founding sisters who started the Oregon High School Dance Drill Association (OHSDDA) in the 1970s. She served as OHSDDA chairman, vice chair, secretary, treasurer and historian. Oberg also served as co-competition director of the state championships for several years as well as judges director at many local competitions. She was assistant director and director for the Dance/Drill All State program for many years. Her loyalty and integrity have helped develop and shape Oregon dance teams for decades.

The DDCA is grateful to Floyd and Oberg for their insight, work and dedication, which has provided the dance team experience to high school students for more than 50 years.

The DDCA Lifetime Achievement award was first presented in 2007 and recognizes individuals for their level of achievement throughout their career as a coach, associate or judge.