The Spartan Scarlets are competing at the National Dance Alliance Competition, and the team could not be more ecstatic. This will be the Scarlets’ first time competing at a national level let alone one of the top two collegiate dance competitions in the nation. In the past, they have only competed at some smaller competitions.
“We’ve been practicing since we got back from winter break at our weekly rehearsals,” Danielle Forand said, a Scarlet coach and UT graduate.
“We have rehearsals Monday and Thursday nights, but we also expect the girls to do four-hour workouts to keep up their strength,” coach and UT graduate, Nicole Mason, said.
The competition, which takes place in Daytona, Fla., will be April 10 – 14. Division II colleges from across the country will perform their routines in hopes of making it to finals, but the Scarlets feel confident that they have what it takes to win.
“I’m really excited because I’ve been going here for four years so this is my first time going to a huge competition,” senior and team captain Jordan Maltese said. “We’re a strong group of girls, and we have what it takes. Hopefully we come out on top.”
Forand and Mason sent in a video qualifier last semester, and they soon received news that they could compete. The two coaches, with the help of Maltese, quickly began choreographing a routine that would wow the crowd at Nationals.
The team mostly consists of new dancers, because many of the girls graduated last spring. Only three remain from the previous school year. However, this year’s freshman class proved to hold a lot of talent.
“We’re all a little nervous, but I’m excited to prove that we should be there,” freshman Danielle Eves said.
Student Government helped with some of the funding, but the Scarlets also conducted their own fundraisers. After a car wash or two, they managed to gather $5,000.
“I’m a little jealous that they get to dance on stage and I never got to, but it’s an honor just to be a part of it all,” Forand said.
The Spartan Scarlets are hosting a send-off event on Monday, April 8 at the Bob Martinez Sports Center at 8:30 p.m. Anyone and everyone is invited to watch a sneak peak of their competition routine and wish the girls good luck before they head to Daytona.
Natalie Hicks can be reached at natalie.hicks@theminaretonline.com.