From Jan. 18 to Jan. 20, the Gablettes and Co. Dance Team made their way to Universal Dance Association Regionals in Orlando, Fla. to compete against teams in different districts at the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network Wide World of Sports. The team dedicated countless hours to refining their routines, focusing on precision and perfecting their synchronization. Throughout the process, the dancers gained valuable experience, strengthening their skills and teamwork. Competing at this level provided them with an opportunity to showcase their hard work and dedication on a bigger stage. As they prepared for their performances, the team remained focused on executing their routines with confidence and energy.
“The feeling of coming off the stage is honestly one of the best feelings ever. Afterwards you get to watch yourself perform and it feels great to be proud of what you put out there and to be able to see that we as a team actually performed well. It was overall a fantastic experience, especially the awards and being around other really good teams,” sophomore Stella Gonzalez said.
The Gablettes dedicated countless hours to perfecting their routines for regionals, balancing intense choreography with strength and endurance training. They started preparing for regionals in August, when they practiced intensive training during the summer to help the dancers better their technique for the school year. Through out August and September, they started learning their choreography and from there, they were inspired to keep working hard and get a regional win. The dancers spent hours on end cleaning, going over and perfecting their dance routines.
“This whole thing is intense. It is not something we take lightly. We really do want to win first and I think getting fourth in regionals really opened our eyes. It made us realize that it’s achievable, it’s attainable and it’s within our grasp. Regionals was an amazing experience, I would love to do it again. I more than love spending time with those girls, they truly are like family,” sophomore Alexandra Costa said.
During Regionals, the Gablettes varsity kick placed in fourth, the junior varsity place second and varsity jazz won fifth place. Their hard work and dedication throughout months of preparation paid off as they showcased their skills against tough competition. The team’s performances highlighted their precision, energy and commitment to excellence, earning praise from judges and spectators alike. Despite the pressure, they remained focused and determined, proving their resilience and passion for dance on the big stage.
“Regionals was overall and amazing experience with the whole team. We spent months working hard and we can definitely say that it paid off. I hope to take everything we learned and apply it in order to win nationals,” freshman Alejandra Perez said.
The Gablettes plan to utilize their regional experience as inspiration for upcoming tournaments. The team aims for refined performances after receiving insightful criticism from the judges and rekindling their desire to succeed. As they continue to keep up their intense training, honing their techniques and challenging themselves, the Gablettes prepare for new challenges. Undoubtedly, their commitment and passion for dancing will keep them pushing closer and closer to greatness.
“The energy and talent we saw was motivating and pushed us to give our best the following day during our own competition. Stepping onto that stage and performing a routine we’d spent months perfecting was nothing short of amazing. The experience felt even more surreal with the support of my incredible teammates by my side. Preparing for competitions like this required intense training, dedication and countless hours of practice, but every bit of it was absolutely worth it. I’m so grateful to have been able to share this experience with such an amazing team,” sophomore Sophia Artunduaga said.
