Dance team smashes halftime mold nationwide
Basketball is not the only reason to come to the Bison Sports Arena these days. The halftime show is gives reason to skip the popcorn run during intermission.
Although halftime shows like the one Mike Dragosavich pulled off are hard to beat, the NDSU dance team hold more than its own for mid-game entertainment.
Just like Dragosavich, the dance team can compete with the nation’s best as well as entertain thousands by bustin’ a move.
The women took their dance routine and went nationwide performing in competitions as far out as Florida.
To get there, they had to be on top of their routine right away. The first competition — which is a taped performance — was a qualifier for the national tournament.
They took third place and advanced to nationals. The women were on their way to Orlando, Fla.
At the national tournament, 28 schools competed for the title. This year, NDSU finished fifth and the top three schools made it on ESPN.
The team spent five days in Orlando and went away with an immeasurable amount of quality time together.
“ We got to go to the parks as a team. It was a really good for team bonding,” Sam Lyons, a second-year member of the team, said.
The team also performs at competitions in the area. This year, they won competitions in West Fargo and Grand Forks, which were part of the North Dakota state competition. They also finished second at a contest at the Mall of America.
The dance team is no different than other athletic teams in many ways. They practice three times a week during the season and increase their workload during nationals.
“ It’s a lot of mental preparation and physical exhaustion,” junior dancer Chrissa Miller said. “We consider ourselves athletes; we work really hard.”
The NDSU dance team consists of 13 dancers ranging from freshmen to juniors, representing an array of majors. Mass communication, business administration, interior design and criminal justice are just some of the different areas of study the members are delving into.
A dancing background is one of the few things all the girls have in common.
The team is most often seen around NDSU during Bison athletic events.
The women perform on the sidelines of the football games and at halftime during other events.
The team is comically centered on minor rituals that they do before every performance. The origin of which are amusing as the act itself.
For instance, one day, while practicing at the BSA, a small, flat white object fell from the ceiling.
One of the dancers tripped over the item and it eventually became a good luck charm for the team.
“ We all have to rub it before we go out,” Miller said.
The team made a necklace out of it, as well, and made the coach, Verona Winkler, wear it.
With all their success, NDSU is considered the best school to pursue dance in the local area.
At the local competitions, many of the high school teams attend to focus on them as they dance.
“ There are all of these North Dakota high school teams and they really look up to NDSU as a collegiate dance team because we have gotten past just being successful in North Dakota,” Miller said. “We’re successful on a national level.”
There are tryouts for the team every April for prospective dancers. Everyone tries out for the team unless the dancers have two years on the team.
All these factors add up to the NDSU dance team taking center stage and advancing the Bison reputation.