Here are the Winners of the 2025 UDA National Championships
22 January 2025

Here are the Winners of the 2025 UDA National Championships

January 17–19, college dance teams from around the country gathered in Orlando, Florida, to attend the Universal Dance Association 2025 College National Championships. Teams competed in three divisions (D1A, D1, and Open, based on the size of their university and its NCAA status) and in three dance categories (Jazz, Pom, Hip Hop). Here are the dance results: D1 Jazz Hofstra University, choreographed by Zach Galasso; coached by Kelly Olsen-Leon, Kristen Olsen & Danielle Bradle University of St. Thomas UC Santa Barbara Photo courtesy UDA and Varsity Spirit. D1 Pom Cal State Fullerton, choreographed by Quinton Peron; coached by Jennie Volkert […]

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21 January 2025

How Tracie Stanfield Teaches Dancers to Be Partners With the Music

Tracie Stanfield doesn’t want students to just dance to music. She wants them to partner with it. “It should be a duet,” says the contemporary lyrical and contemporary jazz teacher. “I want it to look like they inspire the music—not that they’re dancing to the lyrics.”  Dancers of all backgrounds take Stanfield’s fusion classes at Steps on Broadway and Broadway Dance Center in New York City. So they come with a range of habits that often dictate their musicality. One of the biggest things she focuses on is helping students become more intentional about how their movement sits within the […]

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At UDA Nationals, the Wagner Sisters Go Head to Head for the Final Time
16 January 2025

At UDA Nationals, the Wagner Sisters Go Head to Head for the Final Time

Fans of college dance teams are eagerly anticipating the rematch in Division 1A between the University of Minnesota and Ohio State University at this year’s UDA Nationals. Last year, U of M took first in Division 1A Pom and OSU took second; and in Division 1A Jazz, OSU took first and U of M placed second. For sisters Ellie and Ava Wagner, this year’s Nationals will cap off nearly two decades of competing both with and against each other. Ellie, a senior at OSU, will take the mat for the last time with her teammates and against her sister, Ava, […]

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16 January 2025

For 101-Year-Old Vija Vetra, Dance Is a Symbol of Life Itself

“Dance is the art of movement, and therefore anything that is moving, breathing, growing, or feeling is part of the dance,” says Vija Vetra, a 101-year-old Latvian-born dancer, choreographer, teacher, and lecturer who first earned acclaim as an Indian classical and modern dancer in the mid-20th century. Vetra’s passion for her art has taken her around the world, and it’s just only recently that she’s begun to slow down.  Born in Riga on February 6, 1923, Vetra recalls seeing a performance of Swan Lake at age 5 and instantly falling in love. At 16, she left home to train at […]

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Louisiana State University’s Tiger Girls Are Ready for the “Dance Super Bowl”
16 January 2025

Louisiana State University’s Tiger Girls Are Ready for the “Dance Super Bowl”

If you’re a dancer who uses social media, you’ve almost certainly seen videos counting down to the 2025 “dance Super Bowl.” For those of you who aren’t familiar, these videos are referring to UDA Nationals, a competition marking the end of collegiate cheerleaders and dancers’ seasons. In recent years, thanks to multiple viral performances, the event has garnered attention from dancers and nondancers alike. Last year’s Ohio State jazz performance was iconic enough to inspire multiple Halloween costumes. In January 2022, LSU’s Tiger Girls went viral with a crisp, synchronized, first-place–winning hip hop performance to “Like A Boy” at UDA […]

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14 January 2025

Alejandro Vargas on Cultivating a Diverse Career

As a lively 6-year-old, Alejandro Vargas had an abundant energy his parents hoped to channel into sports. After cycling through all the conventional options, nothing seemed to stick. Then, to connect Vargas and his sister with their Colombian heritage, his parents enrolled them in a salsa class at a local studio in New Jersey. That’s when everything changed and Vargas found his passion. As Vargas got older, he grew more serious about dance and began attending dance conventions with his studio, Dancin’ in the Spotlight. The owner, Liz LeBar, cultivated his versatility, encouraging him to train in every style. “She […]

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