The Bellevue East dance team went to Dance Team Union (DTU) nationals in Florida from February 14th through the 16th, and competed with dancers from across the country. 

At nationals, the team competed in the hip hop and gameday categories, placing 13th in game day and making it to semifinals for hip hop. They performed a total of 3 times, competing once for game day and twice for hip hop. 

“I think it reflects the work we put in this year as not many teams are able to go to nationals and we were very fortunate for this experience,” sophomore Hannah Downing said. 

At nationals, dance teams from across the nation come together to compete. The dance team has been there before; they usually go every other year. 

“We are legacy members and have been a part of Dance Team Union for many years,” Head Coach Jade McNiell said. 

For the team, competing is an important aspect of what they do together. Oftentimes, they are performing on the football field or somewhere else in the Bellevue community. Some dancers feel that competing at the national competition feels different than their regular performances in the community.

“I really [enjoyed competing] because…more people got to see our routine than just everyone in Bellevue,” senior Lindsay Burt said. 

The team didn’t just compete in Florida. They also got to do activities while they were away for the competition.

“We were able to shop at Disney Springs and other places, go to Universal Studios, and do various activities like swimming in our pool at the Airbnb,” Downing said.

Being on the dance team and traveling around is also an important bonding experience for the members. They spend a lot of time together, in practice, competitions, and events in the community. This can have a big impact on the team energy and their bonds with each other.

“I enjoy being on dance team because I get to do what I love with my amazing teammates and I feel very blessed to be on this team,” Downing said. 

The team has been working towards nationals for a while. They start practicing very early in the year, and generally have practice upwards of four days a week. This is all to prepare for not only all the games they have to perform at but for the national competition. 

“We put in many months of work starting in September until right before we performed for the last time,” Downing said. “While it was a very difficult process not only physically but mentally, I am very proud of the team and the work that we put into these routines.”

At the end of the day, a strong team has to be lead with a strong coach. For people like McNiell, they use their passion for dance to help them coach well and inspire others. 

“I love coaching because I love dance and sharing it with others,” McNiell said. “It’s such a stress reliever when I’m dancing. I love that there’s something always new in dance, the girls show me so many cool moves that I would have never even thought about. And then music, I love music.  Finding awesome songs and then being able to share it and have similar dance ideas.”