University of Minnesota dance team prepares for Nationals with largest rookie class in program history
MINNEAPOLIS — One year ago, the University of Minnesota dance team went viral for a gravity-defying performance. Today, they are rehearsing more show-stopping moments for the upcoming UDA college national championship on Jan. 18-19 in Orlando.
New this year, a team consisting of several dancers who have never performed at nationals before, as they welcomed eight freshmen to the team, which is the largest rookie class in program history.
"My sister and I, we just idolized [the team] from our childhood," said Emma Le, a freshman dancer from Burnsville.
Six of the eight freshmen are Minnesota natives and have been dreaming of being members of the University of Minnesota dance team since they were kids. Especially Brooklyn Leste, who watched her older sister, Aubree, dance on the UMN dance team for the past four years.
"Ever since she made this team, when I got a little inside scoop on it, I was like — this is where I'm going, this is the only option," Leste said.
These dancers have been training hard to uphold a legacy of 22 national titles since 2003 won by the UMN dance team.
"It is pressure, but for me, it's honestly more motivation," Le said.
The weight of that pressure grew when the team went viral globally last year with their jazz performance to Aerosmith's "Dream On".
"I'm going to be honest, when I first saw it, it stressed me out a little bit, because the bar was set pretty high," said Katelyn Franta, a freshman dancer from Wayzata.
However, last year's memorable dance also boosted their confidence in knowing they are a part of a team with such a big reputation.
"Oh my gosh, this is going to be me next year, and I just felt really proud of myself, and I was like — this is real...I did this...woah," said Mya Montgomery, a freshman dancer from Columbus, Ohio.
"It's still crazy and just doesn't feel real, like I wake up every day kind of in a dream," said Trinity Baker, a freshman dancer from Shawnee, Kansas.
It's not lost on these rookies that they are joining a collegiate dance program at a time when the public is taking dance more seriously as a sport, thanks to all the hard work of the Gopher dance alumni that came before them.
"[Competitive dance] seems to have a really bright future, so being able to be a part of that change, it feels really good," said Alyssa Jacobs, a freshman dancer from Andover.
"[The alumni and veteran dancers] built that for us, and that's what's so amazing about this team," said Le.
WCCO will be reporting live from UDA college nationals in Orlando, Florida from Jan. 18-19.
