What It's Like Competing At College Dance Nationals
Did it also take over your FYP?
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I’m a terrible dancer, but I’ve tried getting better over the years.
When I lived in London, I took months of adult beginner ballet classes at the Royal Academy of Dance and have continued since moving back to New York.
Did I ever mention the time I took a class with Kelly Ripa on the Upper East Side??? That story is for another newsletter…
Listen: I may have initially signed up for these classes to purchase Yumiko and Bodile leotards (iykyk), but there’s truly no workout more humbling than a ballet class.
That’s why I wasn’t surprised when I became fascinated by UDA (Universal Dance Association) Nationals, the national competition where collegiate dance programs across the country compete in everything from jazz, hip hop, game day routines, pom, and more.
Think of UDA Nationals as the dance world’s Super Bowl.
My FYP became flooded with mesmerizing videos of collegiate dancers spinning in sync.
I watched on repeat as Ohio State University did their jazz routine to Rosalia’s hit ‘Berghain’.
And Louisiana State University wore those iconic denim outfits while dancing to Kendrick Lamar’s ‘sqaubble up’ during their hip hop routine.
There’s so much hype around this competition because these dancers are THAT good.
Ahead of nationals, many of the schools preview the routine for their classmates. What I love most about the preview is that (for the most part) everyone respects that classmateNDA and only films their reactions to the routine, so it can be a surprise for nationals.
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To get a better understanding of the significance of the competition, I spoke with two experts.
Nicole is a dancer, choreographer, and judge who went viral on TikTok with her explainers and analysis of UDA Nationals.
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I also spoke with Sophia, a current Detroit Lions cheerleader and former member of Ohio State’s dance team.
We chatted about everything from whether there are rivalries between teams to how social media has impacted the competition.
And if you want to know who won this year, you can see the results here. 👀
Enjoy!
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