If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you!

The first time defending UDA National Champions, Academy of the Holy Angels dance team, is ready to up their game this year and take home another title. In 2016, the team placed first in the Small Hip Hop category and ranked fourth in Small Pom. Every winning team has a different process for claiming a national championship.

However, AHA dance team seems to be on the right track to add another trophy to their case. Traditional practices leading up to nationals occur frequently, but the 13 Varsity dancers are also required to stay well versed in many areas of dance. Head Coach Jenny Black is determined to build strong dancers on and off the national competition floor.


Coach Black started the dance team just six years ago and has been bringing the dancers to UDA Nationals each year since. The program took a few years to become familiar with making finals, but since 2014 they've moved up in the final ranking each year. The 14-member JV team, coached by Kristen Cebulski, shares the same success.

The Holy Angels compete in pom and hip hop, but are also trained in ballet, contemporary, and turn and leap technique. They have high standards for academics and community involvement as well. We caught up with Black who tells us about this year's team and what they have planned for nationals.

Every year brings a new team dynamic. This year's team is incredibly special and has an unyielding amount of focus and determination. This team has been able to break through each plateau and continually grow through the duration of the season and prove that they are stronger than any obstacle that may come in their path.

The team's motto is "If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you!" The AHA dancers are up for a challenge this year at nationals, and are really pushing the envelope with choreography, specifically trying something more difficult in their hip hop routine. We will see some swift transitions from style to style and with these transitions, Black says, "they must be able to change vibes, characters, and dynamics all while maintaining their synchronization and energy level."

Fourth year senior, Samantha Kim, tells us her favorite part in the hip hop routine is the ending involving a detailed krump section.

Krump is a powerful and intimidating style with tense movements that radiate with explosive energy. It is incredibly fun to perform, especially when my teammates and I breathe together on each count, feeding off of each other's energy.

In the pom routine, we are going to be expecting some "uniqueness along with flavor and syncopated musicality," Kim tell us. This dance team tends to stand out in the pom category, always going above and beyond the traditional. With hard work and innovative choreography, these dancers are ready to show judges and the audience what they've been working on.

By: Megan Miles

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