Junior Stella McClure has been on the dance team all three years of her high school career. McClure won a national championship her freshman year and reflects on how the team has changed throughout the past couple of seasons.
“We definitely have a certain expectation put on us because we are well known nationally for kick,” McClure said. “We have a similar strong group of seniors like we did my freshman year when we won the whole thing so we were going in strong and confident.”
Going in with a confident face it was Senior Ava Townsend’s last time hitting the national floor.
“I wanted to give it my 100% all for my last time competing on that big of a stage,” Townsend said. “It sucks we got second, but I believe we left everything out on that floor.”
Typically UDA lets the top seven teams from the regular round into the kick finals to compete for the national title. This year they let in eight.
“It almost felt super unfair because they have never done this before,” McClure said. “Especially since the extra team they let in beat us for the title it was super defeating.”
Despite being discouraged for not winning the title, some of the dancers reflected on how proud they were of their performance.
“This was my first time competing with this team at nationals and even though we didn’t win the experience was absolutely amazing,” Freshman Kathleen Totta said. “Being able to dance on that big of a stage and get second in the nation is still a massive accomplishment.”
The Storm still ranks 10th in the nation for pom, an impressive ranking for such a small school.
“I think we take advantage of the fact that we have made a name for ourselves and really put this program on the map,” Townsend said. “Being able to say I am second in the nation in kick and tenth in prom is pretty cool.”
Despite dancing the dancers indulge in some Disney fun as well, visiting the park between competitions.
“This is probably one of my favorite dance traditions I will miss,” Townsend said. “Being able to mess around at the park, riding your favorite rides, and laughing at the stupidest stuff with my teammates is memories I will cherish forever”
“I would say for sure we are disappointed in not winning,” McClure said. “But thats just part of being part of a team and a dancer, at the end of the day I had the best times with my teammates.”
