This past weekend, the Universal Dance Association held their annual college nationals,
otherwise known as, the Dance Super Bowl. Schools such as the University of Tennessee, the
University of Memphis, and plenty more participate in this competition. Teams are separated by
divisions and compete in the genres Jazz, Hip Hop, and Pom. In recent years, this competition
has grown tremendous popularity on social media due to dances from the Ohio State University,
the University of Minnesota, and Louisiana State University going viral. As a dancer, I love to
see people appreciating dance more and recognizing it as a sport, just as much as it is an art.

I had the opportunity to attend UDA College Nationals last weekend. The talent that
college athletes have is unmatched, and their passion on stage is not only moving, but inspiring.
From 8am-9pm, I sat in the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex Advent Health Arena and
eagerly watched dance after dance, not getting bored once. There was a full house. Every seat
was taken and people had filled the stairs and halls to get to watch the college dance teams
perform. Lines to get food and to the bathroom were everlasting. It was truly fascinating to see
how many people, dancers and non-dancers alike, were entirely interested and engaged for hours on
end.

In the Jazz and Pom categories, there’s always two teams who battle for first place: The
Ohio State University Dance Team and the University of Minnesota Dance Team. These are two
of the most prestigious and respected dance programs in the country. It is always a
speculation of who is going to perform to perfection and take the first place trophy. This year,
OSU placed first in Jazz, and Minnesota took it for Pom. I personally love when each of them
win in one category, because I believe they each deserve to win at least one, considering how
incredibly talented both teams are.

One thing I’ve always noticed, regardless of the “rivalry” between the two teams, their
sportsmanship and respect for one another is remarkable. You can’t deny the talent that both of
these teams have, and they recognize that as well. After each performs, you can spot them
congratulating each other, and even embracing one another. As inspiring as they are dancers,
they also inspire people to be good humans, and give credit where it is due.

Once again, it fills me with so much joy to see people appreciate dance more. There is
no doubting the artistry and athleticism that is required in this sport. I have always known this,
but am glad that the world has started to see it too.