Keene State College’s Dance Team ventured down to Florida for the Universal Dance Association (UDA) nationals competition, placing 10th and 18th in two separate categories during the winter break.
From January 17 to 19, dance teams from around the country gathered at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla. The national stage draws in heavy division one competitors such as Ohio State University and Minnesota University who grab victories in several categories annually.
Along with these powerhouse programs, Keene State College was also given the opportunity to compete on the national stage. Last year, the KSC Dance Team placed sixth in the Open-Game Day category. At this year’s UDA national competition, the Owls placed 10th in that same category and finished 18th in the Open-Hip-Hop category.
Senior co-captain Hannah Tobin, who has competed at UDAs in past years, explained what goes into being ready for national competition.
“It is the only competition that we go to; it is what we prepare for all fall semester. We put literal blood, sweat and tears into it, so if you are on the team that is what you are working for, that is your goal. This year was extra special, being my fourth year, and I could bring my team down there and get on stage to perform the best that we could,” said Tobin.
Throughout the year, both captains said focusing on mindset and how to stay determined for this one weekend is vital. It is a long trip over a winter break where the team will perform only two dances on the national stage. Senior co-captain Maya Mahoney said that staying focused on the “why” all season long helps prepare mentally for the UDA nationals.
“It really is a lot of preparation, we have practice four days throughout the week. Getting everyone in the mindset of ‘Even if you are not senior and it is not your last year’ to be for the team. We try to have everyone come up with a reason for why they are doing it. If you can’t find it within yourself to do it for yourself, then maybe you can do it for your teammates,” said Mahoney.
Apart from the dancing within KSC Dance Team’s category, the Owls also get the chance to watch and be around high-caliber programs. Division one schools such as Ohio State and Minnesota have repeatedly competed at UDA’s, with Minnesota dominating this year. When they are not dancing, Mahoney said she and the rest of the team are able to share the stage and competition with remarkable talent.
“We spent all semester fangirling over all of the other teams because they are all role models to us and we can’t believe that we are all the same age as them. That’s a whole other thing that we get excited for even though we have our dancing part, a big part is just getting excited to watch all of the other teams compete,” said Mahoney.
The KSC Dance Team continues for the rest of the season, performing around the campus and at most home basketball games. They will begin preparation for next year’s UDA national competition in the fall.
Jacob Enscoe can be contacted at
jenscoe@kscequinox.com
