As part of their annual effort, the Universal Dance Association College Nationals featured hundreds of dancers showcasing their various styles ranging from jazz to pom. On Jan. 19, after countless performances from numerous schools, the season concluded as the judges made their final calls. Nationwide, dancers and supporters alike watched in awe as the most skillful dance teams raised the bar, along with their high kicks.
UDA College Nationals is an annual dance competition for college teams in the United States. Being one of the most prestigious championships in the country, dancers travel from across the country to perform. In order to compete in the final competition, teams have to make it through preliminaries and semi-finals. Teams compete in jazz, hip hop and pom, different categories of dance, while judges assess the choreography, technique and overall performance of each routine.
Performing dancers had a schedule to follow upon arriving at the ESPN Center, the venue where their performances took place. Upon arrival, dancers checked-in and received a designated time to use a mat for their practice. They spent their remaining time rehearsing their dance recital before finally taking the stage to showcase their routine.
“The experience was truly eye-opening, revealing new parts of dance that I’d never thought about before. It inspired me to improve not only as a dancer but also as a supportive teammate. I am excited to have the opportunity to watch nationals again,” sophomore Sophia Artunduaga said.
In the Jazz category finals, only 11 schools competed. After numerous impressive performances, the judges selected the top three schools: the University of Michigan placed third, the University of Minnesota placed second and Ohio State University secured first place. With very close scores, fans had differing opinions on whether Minnesota should have taken first place or if Ohio State’s win was deserved.
“I’ve always loved watching Minnesota because they are truly inspirational. Their players are powerhouses and you can tell they work extremely hard at their craft,” sophomore Stella Gonzalez said.
In the Pom Finals category, dancers performed with pom-poms, showcasing a variety of tricks in an effort to perform to their best extent. In the top three placements, two teams placed again from the previous competition: the University of Tennessee finished in third place, Ohio State University secured second place and the University of Minnesota took first. This scoring also resulted in a diverse range of opinions from fans.
“I loved having the opportunity to see how other teams worked together. I noticed that some rules they had to follow were the same as our own, such as the use of the practice mat. Every team is so focused on winning, which really motivated me when I returned to practice afterward,” junior Sofia Atay said.
Finally, in the hip-hop category, ten teams competed in the finals. After countless tricks, flips and creative moves, all the hip-hop routines came to an end. The competition resulted in the University of Central Florida placing third, San Diego State University taking second place and the University of Nevada, Los Angeles, closing the UDA Nationals Competition, securing first place.
“College Nationals was a new experience for me as a first-year member. It has definitely changed how I think about dance. Watching all the dancers perform with such sharpness and precision in their movements was inspiring. I enjoyed seeing each college show what they love the most,” freshman Siena Sanchez said.
After all the performances concluded, audience members took a moment to reflect on the numerous outstanding displays of talent they had witnessed. Each act had worked to showcase incredible skill and creativity, hoping to leave a lasting impression on the audience in attendance. The performing dancers celebrated their hard-earned victories at Disney’s Amusement Parks, where they enjoyed the dazzling fireworks lighting up the night sky as they relished in their shared accomplishment.
