“Let’s go girls! Push it! We got this!” are the last words heard as the next energized team eagerly runs on to the floor of the gymnasium to perform their well-practiced routine.

Also partaking in these loud chants was the North Penn Dance Team, performing a jazz routine and hip hop routine at The Battle of the Northeast Dance Championship Competition. As a member of NP’s dance team for the past three years and now as a captain, I can truly say the team always looks forward to this competition each year and enjoys their time at the event.

The competition was held at South Brunswick High School in Monmouth Junction, New Jersey this past Sunday. Organized by Universal Dance Association, also known as UDA, those in attendance included high school, college and private outside teams as well as soloist dancers.

The competition kicked off at 11 am with the soloists, and then moved onto the team dances. Starting with the style of jazz, each team showed off their flashy choreography to sassy and electrified music. North Penn’s team performed a routine to Beyoncé’s “End of Time”, sporting sparkly tops, high pony tails, and dazzling makeup.

Once through with the jazz dances, hip hop was up. Hip hop requires dancers to hit the music a certain way to make a more intense movement, and each team looked fierce and intimidating with their game faces on. Our team wore sparkly jackets, bright blue North Penn shirts, and shiny converse (As you can tell, sparkles were an ongoing theme). We danced like it was the last time we would dance for the rest of our lives, giving 110% and never giving up throughout the entire dance.

After the hip hop dances came the style called “Pom.” In this style of dance, each dancer holds two pompoms, similar to cheerleading. The teams produce high energy, exciting routines to fast and exhilarating music. These dancers have exorbitant vigor while performing, constantly jumping across the floor and doing what seems like an endless amount of turns. North Penn’s team did not compete in this division but did watch, mesmerized by the precision needed to compete with the Pom dances.

Once all the teams had finished performing, each dancer at the competition came to the gym floor for a huge dance party. The DJ played all the latest tunes, and we formed a huge dance circle where everyone showed off their most impressive dance moves. This is always my favorite part of the whole competition. Dancing with every other performer there makes me feel that we dancers are united. Even though we are all competing for first place, dancing together at a time where it doesn’t matter if your technique isn’t perfect or if you’re not on the music makes me feel that each dancer is connected in a special way.

By 5:45 pm, judges had deliberated and decided on the winners of each division, giving trophies to all who placed. First the solo winners were announced, and then the team winners were announced. For our jazz routine, North Penn placed in the top five, and for our hip hop routine we came in the top 10. Our team was overjoyed to have placed, and getting two trophies added onto the excitement.

Once the awards ceremony had ended, we gathered our bags and headed on the bus back to travel back home. On the bus, all the girls were talkative and cheerful, for we had practiced for months in advance for this competition, and were so pleased with the results. My team even practiced several times over winter break, utilizing an open studio at Jane Lopoten School of Dance and a gym at Gwynedd Mercy Elementary School.

But of course, this wouldn’t all be possible without the help of our fearless coach, Miss Amy Millar. As last year’s captain of West Chester University’s dance team and a previous North Penn dance team member and captain, she knew exactly what our team needed to accomplish in order to succeed at the competition.

As my last year on this team and my last time attending this competition, I will absolutely miss the energy and experience this event provides, and I am immensely proud of what my team has accomplished. The North Penn Dance Team works hard to earn the respect we deserve, and I am so proud to be a part of it.