Michigan Dance Team to Compete at UDA Nationals
1/16/2019 12:30:00 PM | Spirit Department
» Michigan once again willbe looking to place in the top 10 after finishing fourth in the jazz category last year, and just missing out on the hip-hop finals by less than a point.
» If U-M advances to the finals, it will compete again throughout the day on Sunday (Jan. 20). The time of competition will be determined based on ranking.
» Jazz finals begin at 9 a.m. and hip-hop finals commence at noon.
THIS WEEK
Saturday, Jan. 19 -- UCA & UDA College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championships at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex -- Arena South: Jazz semifinals at 3:35 p.m., Hip-Hop semifinals at 8 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 20 -- UCA & UDA College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championships at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex -- HP Field House: Jazz and Hip-Hop finals if the team advances
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The University of Michigan dance team will look to build on its highest finish in program history when they travel to Orlando, Florida, for the 2019 UCA & UDA College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championship this weekend (Jan. 19-20). The Wolverines placed fourth in the jazz category last year, and will attempt to make the finals for the 15th consecutive year at this season's event.
Michigan will compete Saturday (Jan. 19) at 3:35 p.m. in the Division I-A Jazz semifinals, with the hip-hop semifinals to take place at 8 p.m. Finalists will compete on Sunday (Jan. 20).
U-M held a Friends and Family performance on Jan. 13 to preview both its jazz and hip-hop nationals routines at Cliff Keen Arena. Following the performance, head coach Valerie Stead Potsos and senior co-captains Jennifer Waltz and Emily Mittleman offered their thoughts.
Head coach Valerie Stead Potsos…
"Their mental toughness and how hard the team has been working is unlike I have seen with any of our teams. They can take themselves to a certain point and then push themselves harder. If you look at the jazz piece, you can see the connections that they are building with each other and those moments that they have created, where they take a look and look at each other in the dance, or have those moments, and I think that translates onto the stage."
Senior co-captain Jennifer Waltz...
"We actually start choreographing our routines in August, so it is a pretty lengthy process, but we are constantly improving things and changing things and making it as strong as it can possibly be. Our goal every year is to peak on the final stage."
Senior co-captain Emily Mittleman…
"I think these routines are really special to us. We're trying something new this year, and we're not the same hard-hitting, in-your-face jazz dance like years past."
