The UCCS Dance Team is more than just a club; it is a group of dedicated dancers who bring energy and spirit to campus athletics.
The dance team can be seen at basketball and soccer games performing halftime routines and on the sidelines at the Gallogly Event Center and Mountain Lion Stadium. In the past, routines were primarily based on choreography from Universal Dance Association camps, but this year, dance captains have taken the lead in choreographing most performances.
Maddi Lee, a senior biology and pre-physician assistant studies major, has been on the dance team for the past two years and was voted co-captain this year by the team.
“I did not know that UCCS had a dance team my freshman year. Being the UCCS Dance Team captain has given me so much opportunity,” Lee said. “[It] has helped me with my communication style, leadership skills and confidence.”
As co-captain, Lee has choreographed the performances this season. “I cater my choreography to the team’s abilities,” she said. “It’s best to showcase everyone’s abilities and our cohesiveness as a team rather than choreographing something harder at the cost of noticing separation in dancing abilities.”
As a club sport, the dance team is completely student run with officer positions. Catalina Moheit, senior mathematics major, has been on the team for the past two years and helps run the dance team’s social media and finances.
“I’m always trying to spread the dance team awareness on campus. Digital media is a really great way to put us out there and set a precedent for next years,” Moheit said.
The dance team is a time-consuming club with members having to make time for practices and meets. This season, they meet for three two-hour practices a week.
“I like being ‘go, go, go,’ and going from thing to thing. I treat the constant motion as fun instead of stressful and use the weekend to relax,” Moheit said.
The dance team’s season is usually from July to April. “In our off-season, we focus on technique training since we do not have time during our busy season of constantly learning new dances. We also like to get together and have team bondings, which are fun ways to boost team unity and friendships,” Lee said.
As the season comes to an end, the team is looking to next season. Auditions for the next dance team season will be on April 11 and 12 and can be completed in person or through virtual submission with a $20 submission fee. Students will be required to bring a completed physical and fill out the tryout form found on the dance team’s Instagram.
Editor’s note: Features Editor Kaylie Foster is a member of the UCCS Dance Team.
Dance Team members Madisyn Caddy and Hailey Franco in passé. Photo by Anysia Hovel.