'Give it my all one last time:' U of M Dance Team senior makes a comeback after a major health scare
MINNEAPOLIS — Four years ago, Ella Winston didn't think she would make it to this moment after the young athlete had a severe reaction to COVID in 2020.
"Every day I get to dance, I just look at it as being so grateful," said Winston.
She now views every moment of hard work in practice and while performing with the Gophers as a blessing.
"I'll take a step back and think that I would have done anything my senior year of high school to be in the position I am today," said Winston.
In 2020, during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Winston contracted the virus like so many others, but it hit her harder than most, and she was hospitalized for 10 days in the ICU.
"Everything in my body was failing and there's really no answer to it besides it was just COVID, and it really took a toll on me," said Winston.
Even in recovery back then, she wasn't able to dance her senior year at Wayzata High School, but her dance career wasn't over.
"Someone like Ella, she was on our radar way before her senior year of high school," said Amanda Gaines, the head coach of the University of Minnesota dance team.
Gaines believed in her ability to bounce back and gave her a chance on their coveted roster.
"I think for us offering her that spot, was less about - she needs to be ready by this date - and more about how can we be part of her journey to get back into dance," said Gaines.
"[My coaches] were just so amazing, and gave me the time and space to get back into the groove of everything," said Winston.
Today, Winston is stronger than ever, but still has to monitor her heart rate.
"I just have to make sure my heart doesn't go over 200, and that's the scary part because after full outs my heart does get pretty high, but I've been trying to breathe throughout the dances to make sure it doesn't," said Winston.
In her final year with this team, she's focused less on winning, and more on living in the moment.
"I think I'm just ready to soak it all in and give it my all one last time," said Winston.
The U of M dance team has won 22 national titles since 2003. Their jazz performance to Aerosmith's "Dream On" last year went viral and received world wide attention. Despite winning the "People's Choice" award, that dance took home second place.
Now, the team is on a mission to win it all at nationals on Jan. 17-19, 2025 in Orlando, Florida.
