By Kelli DeWalt
The dance team and cheer leading team are trained to perform under pressure. Yet, it’s hard not to at least be a little nervous when you’re performing with an international superstar.
On September 4, the University’s dance team and cheering squad had the opportunity to perform with Usher at Columbus Circle in New York City. The performance was in correlation with the NFL’s season kickoff.
After the team was picked by Usher’s production staff, they only had a week to get ready.
“We all freaked out when we heard we were picked,” Alysse Zecha, a junior and captain of the dance team said.
They had the opportunity to train with Usher in the city for several nights leading up to the free concert. And they were able to speak personally with will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas.
At the actual performance the team opened for the star and some of the girls even got to dance with him during his new song, “What’s Your Name.”
“It was great, one of the best experiences for the team,” Kelly Olsen, the team’s head coach said. Olsen added that Usher’s production staff was also very pleased with the team’s performance.
This experience just fuels the team for more great things to come. In 2006, they won the National Championships for best hip-hop performance. This year they hope to bring another.
“We would love to bring home a national title,” Zecha said, but more importantly “we want to leave the floor with no regrets.”
The team performs two routines at events and competitions, hip-hop and jazz. They practice three to four times a week, along with morning workouts and games on the weekends.
Zecha along with Sarah Engel, a senior and co-captain of the team explain that since they’re together all the time, they’ve forged a bond that’s hard to ignore. It’s what makes them unique. “People tell us you can see the bond,” Engel said.
This bond is especially evident at camp. Every summer the team goes to the Universal Dance Association (UDA) College camp for four full days. And even before camp starts the team gets together to train in advance.
“Our team at camp is always one group, there aren’t any cliques between them,” Olsen said.
While athletic teams are usually known to treat incoming freshmen differently, that’s not so with the dance team. “We make an effort to make the freshmen feel welcome,” Zecha said.
Beyond accepting ages they make all genders feel welcome too. Just last year they welcomed David Maczkiewicz, their first male member. This cohesiveness helps them become one of the highest ranking teams at camp and develop a strong reputation within the Association, the captains explained.
Yet, within the group it’s hard to pick certain people that stand out. Everyone juggles schoolwork, jobs and difficult majors. Zecha pointed out that at least two members have 4.0 grade point averages (GPA), two are in Honors College and one is even a theater major which is a time commitment within itself.
Engel added that in addition to practices and games, they also have fundraisers that take up their time.
Starting Sundays in October, the team will have the opportunity to train with the New Jersey Nets dance team. The team will help the girls work on techniques they will be able to use for Nationals.
Olsen, along with Kelly Quatrale, the team’s assistant coach, remarked on how things have changed since they were on the dance team. “There’s so much more involved now,” Quatrale said in reference to finances, songs and choreographers. Quatrale graduated in 2007, while Olsen finished in 2003.
The team is going to get even busier when they’re cast in a new dance show on Fuse TV.
Olsen explains that it’s going to be similar to MTV’s “The Grind” where each week a new team performs.
The coaches’ overall goal for the team is to push them to their fullest and for them to be pleased with themselves. “Every member is asked to make a personal goal and a team goal,” Olsen said. “So, if they accomplish those, we’re happy.”
This Division-1 team is ranked number one among colleges on Long Island and will be competing for the number one spot in the country starting January 30 in Orlando.