By: Dylan Powell, Head Sports Writer
Photos collected by Marisa Ortega, Editor (and dance team member!)
When you think about the sports teams that compete on McKendree’s campus, one group you may not consider is the McKendree Dance Team. You can see the dance team at football games, basketball games and around campus during events like homecoming, where they walk in the parade and show support through school spirit.
However, another factor that makes this team so special is an annual competition they participate in. This past week, the McKendree Dance and Cheer teams competed at the National Dance Association (NDA) competition in Daytona Beach, Florida.
“We began learning choreography the second week of January. Since then, we have practiced at least four days a week, a minimum of 2.5 hours each practice. The team also attends workouts at the athletic performance center two days a week,” says Allison Rosentreter, junior member of the dance team. All of these practices and workouts have prepared the team to compete, driving the girls to a successful event.
The team competed in a jazz routine and a team routine, one routine on two separate days. McKendree Cheerleading also did a team routine, one that the dancers were able to watch after performing their own. The dance team was able to participate by submitting video auditions for the events in the winter, approved by the board who oversees the NDA competition.
While in Florida, the girls had time to spend on the beach and at other places around Daytona, making memories and boosting the overall morale and chemistry after not being able to compete the past two years due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Since some restrictions and mandates have been lifted, the team was able to get back out to competitive dance and showcase their talents to other collegiate dance teams around the country.
“After our performance we watched cheer, and had free time for almost the rest of the trip. We did bonding activities such as team dinner as a reward for all the hard work we had put into this competition,” noted Rosentreter.
Having the opportunity to acknowledge our smaller athletic teams on campus does not happen as often as it should. Speaking with the dance team and their accolades on the week was special, as they deserve the credit for working hard on a daily basis to learn routines for games and their competitive activities. Congratulations to our McKendree Dance team on a wonderful season!
