Minnesota colleges dominate at the Universal Dance Association College Nationals

The name was called, and it was official: The University of Minnesota dance team had officially defended its national title.

The team added to its crowded trophy case Sunday night, taking home the pom title at the Universal Dance Association College Nationals in Orlando. The U finished as runner-up in the jazz competition.

“It means so much,” coach Amanda Gaines said by phone. “Our whole routine was really about the legacy of what it takes to be Minnesota, so being able to take home a title with a routine that is close and near and dear to our heart is really special.”

Their routine featured a voiceover that ran through five lessons about the tradition of Minnesota dance: Legacy is your foundation, energy is nothing without control, there is power in silence, unity is our strength and unlock the spirit within.

The Gophers have won the pom title three years in a row, a category named for the inclusion of traditional pompoms in the routine.

Other Minnesota colleges had a successful weekend in different divisions. In both the Open Jazz and Open Pom categories, Minnesota-State Mankato took 1st, University of Minnesota-Duluth took 2nd, St. Cloud University took 4th and College of St. Benedict took 5th. St. Cloud also took home the title in the Open Dance Game Day category, and St. Thomas finished as the runner up in Division 1 Jazz.

The national championships are the highest level of competition for college dance teams — and are a stage that the Gophers have dominated for as long as many can remember. Their victory Sunday was their 23rd national championship, solidifying their status as the most successful college dance program in the country.

Boasting almost 160,000 Instagram followers and numerous supporters far beyond the sphere of Minnesota, the U’s dance team has taken up celebrity status in the dance community.

“It’s kinda wild, and the dancers handle it so well,” Gaines said of the team’s popularity. “It’s cute as a coach getting to watch them as they’re stretching and just walking around the venue have younger dancers, and even dancers from other teams, come up and want to take pictures and talk to them and just get to know them better. And they all handle it with such grace.”

The national championships have in recent years produced viral videos reaching impressive numbers on social media, and Minnesota’s routines have been in the spotlight. Last year, the team’s jazz routine to Aerosmith’s “Dream On” racked up over a million views across platforms, and clips from this year’s routines have already been bounced around on social media.

The University of Minnesota cheer squad also competed and came away with the first cheer national championship in program history, taking first place in the Small Coed Game Day category.