The HC Dance team left for UDA Nationals on January 29th and performed both their game day and pom routines the following day. This left them anticipating whether they would advance to semi-finals and finals, of which they did both. Not only are they now five time UDA DCTC Finalists, but their game day routine is ranked top ten in the nation.
The HC Dance team receives details about UDA Nationals when they attend UDA camp at the end of July and have to qualify for the competition through dancer evaluations. According to Assistant Coach Andrea Straub, “Last year, we didn’t make it to finals so making it to finals this year was incredible.”
The team has had success at their last several competitions and persevered through several setbacks. One of these being having to cancel their participation in an event in Cincinnati due to the severe weather experienced in the area.
The snow days in early January also caused the cancellation of several important practices and preparations for nationals. This however did not stop these girls from continuing to work hard. “They continued to work hard at home and stay in shape,”Straub said. “They came back ready to put in the work for the last few weeks before Nationals.”
Competition days are jam-packed and often early mornings. After completing both routines on day one for prelims, they then performed in the afternoons of both that Friday and Saturday, and then bright and early for finals.
None of this would have been possible without the strong support and bond the team shares with one another. “We were a smaller team this year with 14 dancers, and I think that contributed a lot to their relationship and bond,”said Straub. “This team pushed each other, supported each other, and had so much fun with one another along the way.”
“This division was not an easy one and each team we competed against put great performances on the floor. Our girls shined on the stage and their pride for Henry Clay was on full display,” said Straub.
The HC Dance team showcased their hard work this year and have a promising future. Even with less dancers than they’d typically have, they were able to represent HC exceptionally well. If you’re interested in becoming a part of the HC Dance team, the 2025-26 season auditions will be on April 14th, 15th, and 17th.
