College Dance Team Central News Links

More great items from the College Dance Team World with links below.

Click on the links to enjoy the stories and as always, check the CDTC Twitter account for updates and to follow College Dance Team Central.

- Central Michigan Dance Team participates in sports camp: Central Michigan Life

- Genesee Cougarettes Dance team return from NDA Camp: Genesee Community College

- Edgewood College (pictured) Announces Tryout Dates: EdgewoodCollegeEagles.com

- Former Towson Dancer has a "Devil" of a second career: NorthJersey.com

- High Point names Melanie Haynes new Dance Team coach: HighPointPanthers.com

- Western Carolina takes first at UDA Camp: CatamountSports.com

- Miami's Sarah is SI.com's Cheerleader of the Week: SI.com

- Virginia Tech's Brandy is SI.com's Cheerleader of the Week: SI.com

College Dance Team Central News Links

Three great items from the College Dance Team World including Athletic Department News, Sports Illustrated.com Cheerleader of the Week gallery and NDA Camp news.

Click on the links to enjoy the stories and as always, check the CDTC Twitter account for updates and to follow College Dance Team Central.

- Edgewood College in Wisconsin has made Dance Team a varsity sport: EdgewoodCollegeEagles.com

- Arizona State's Alicia is the SI.com Cheerleader of the Week (Pictured): SI.com

- The Western Kentucky Topperettes were honored at NDA camp: WKUsports.com

College Dance Team Central News Links

A number of great stories have run in the last few weeks, including hometown features, a team introduction, alumni update and even some pageant news.

Click on the links to enjoy the stories and as always, check the CDTC Twitter account for updates and to follow College Dance Team Central.

- Nikki Patrick from the Morning Sun had a great feature on Faith Miller who has joined the Missouri Golden Girls Dance Team: Morning Sun.net

- Bruins Nation introduces the new UCLA Dance Team: BruinsNation.com

- The Akron Zips website featured Dance Team member Bridget Linton who competed in the Miss Teen USA Pageant: GoZips.com

- The Western Carolinian features former WCU dancer Tara Mull Ryan, who is now a member of the NFL's Carolina Panthers TopCats: Western Carolinian.com

- Nikki Patrick of the Morning Sun features Kansas Dance Team member Kelsey Parks: Morning Sun.net

Q & A With ProDance!

WIth the ProDance Convention opening in Miami this weekend, ProDance's Rosalyn Jones and Sam Shen took a few minutes to answer some questions about the convention. Rosalyn is the founder of ProDance and started as the Director and Choreographer for the San Antonio Spurs. For more on Sam, please see below.

To visit ProDance Click Here

Also, College Dance Team Central is now on twitter. For College Dance Team updates in 140 characters or less Click Here


CDTC: For those that are not familiar with the convention, please tell us a little bit about ProDance.

Rosalyn Jones: ProDance is simply a catalyst that educates, empowers, inspires, and nurtures dancers and directors who yearn to be the very best! As the choreographer for the San Antonio Spurs Silver Dancers from 1992-2003, I attended numerous dance conventions attempting to find a style of choreography that suited professional sports dance. Nothing satisfied my specific needs so I decided to start something that did--ProDance! Now, 11 years later, ProDance is a benchmark! Professional and collegiate dancers and directors with the highest standards attend our event. On the surface, ProDance is the most exceptional and exclusive choreography you can imagine! We bring together choreographers who "GET IT!!" Crowd-pleasing, technically challenging, visually exciting choreography! Hip-hop, jazz, novelty, prop, pom, etc. It's just something you have to see to believe! There's a quote I found that describes the essence of ProDance. It says, "Some experiences simply do not translate. You have to go to know." Whether you're an NBA or NFL dancer or a nationally-ranked collegiate team like Cal State Fullerton or the University of Memphis (who have attended for years), ProDance should be YOUR resource! We also offer seminars, networking opportunities, and so much more! There's no fluff. No lectures. We simply disseminate information that every intelligent and successful dancer and director needs to reach their highest potential. Period. Our non-competitive environment allows everyone to concentrate on learning. It's a fantastic concept! There is true camaraderie at ProDance! The energy is palpable! Oh my goodness...I could go on and on! We hold it at some of the most phenomenal venues ALL at incredibly reasonable prices! We understand your needs and do everything in our power to meet and EXCEED those needs! Come to ProDance and be AMAZED!!

CDTC: Does the curriculum for college dance teams differ in any way from that of the professional teams?

Rosalyn Jones: The choreography is the same. However, we do offer opportunities for collegiate teams to network and exchange ideas and information in the same manner as the pros. It's an incredibly invaluable opportunity!

CDTC: What can dance squads expect while attending the ProDance convention.

Rosalyn Jones: They can expect an event that is specifically designed to challenge, inspire and motivate them to be the very best! It can't be compared to any other camp out there. It's so innovative! The event is professionally organized in a manner that produces maximum results with minimal time commitment. When you leave ProDance, you will have enough material to last an entire season! It doesn't get any better than that!

CDTC: What is your role with ProDance, and how did you get to the position that you’re in now.

Sam Shen: I am currently an Advisor and Coach for the 9-time UDA College National Dance Champs, Cal State Fullerton Dance Team. By day, I am also a Meeting and Events Planner. I've been working with Rosalyn for the past year but have attended 6 ProDance Conventions over the past decade.

CDTC: What do you see in the future for ProDance?

Rosalyn Jones: I see SO many exciting things ahead for ProDance! The brand will continue to expand!

ProDance 2010 - Don't Miss Out on THE Premiere Pro Dance Team Convention!!

Where can you gather in one place to prepare for your entire season of dance in less than 2 days, with the ability to take home more than 25 “game-ready”, high-energy, and crowd-pleasing routines? ProDance!

In its 11th year, ProDance has continued to stand above the rest as THE premiere Dance Convention for Pro Dance Teams (NBA, NFL, AFL, NHL, etc.) and the most elite Collegiate Dance Teams in the Nation.

Mark your calendars NOW for July 30th-August 1st at the Eden Roc Renaissance Miami Beach! This year’s event is not to be missed!

REGISTRATION AND HOTEL LINKS ARE NOW AVAILABLE!!
Log onto the ProDance 2010 site for updated information! Click ProDance 2010 for more detail regarding the event!

OUR VENUE…
We are Miami-bound and hosting ProDance 2010 at the impressive Eden Roc Renaissance in Miami Beach. Our special ProDance room block is available now at an unbelievable rate unheard of in the South Beach area for such an amazing venue. Check it out online at Eden Roc Renaissance OR book your reservations immediately by logging onto ProDance 2010.

OUR CHOREOGRAPHERS…
At ProDance, we take our job seriously. Remaining on the cutting edge of the Professional Dance industry is highly important to us! We’ve done our research and have consulted several leading industry professionals to seek out the best of the best for you! As this is not something we take lightly, we have an “all-star” line-up of choreographers who will prepare you to be “game-ready” for your season with material that will excite and entertain.

We’ve listened to your feedback and have already confirmed ProDance Veteran choreographers Shandon Kolberg, ChiChi, and Sean Bankhead. Newly added! Jamie Parrish, recently awarded a 2010 Worlds Title for his Innovative Dance Choreography, Dena and Jenna Spellman AND Donyelle Jones of “So You Think You Can Dance” and “America’s Best Dance Crew” acclaim! In addition, we’re adding several new choreographers who come from a variety of backgrounds. We are all about providing different styles that will result in an innovative mix of dance genres. We know you want to keep it FRESH, and we hear you. ProDance will never be stagnate. We’ll always have the freshest, hottest, latest and greatest…YOU CAN COUNT ON THAT!

OUR ProDance FAMILY…
Join us in Miami along with hundreds of other Pro Dance Team members and Directors from across the Nation!

We are so excited to see you this summer and hope you are ready for an AMAZING experience!

Best Regards,

Rosalyn Jones
Founder, ProDance

Sam Shen
Partner, ProDance

Westfield State Tops In New England

Submitted to College Dance Team Central by the Westfield State Dance Team

The Westfield State College Dance Team defended their New England Championship title at the UDA New England Dance Championships held on April 11, 2010. This is the second time Westfield has won 1st place in the hip hop division beating out teams like UConn, Quinnipiac University , Keene State and Bentley University . The team was comprised of 13 members: 4 Captains: Valerie Skalinsky , Michelle Ronayne, Jennie Beneway & Meg O’Connell as wells as: Jodi Hogan, Meghan Simmons, Marley Aitken, Stephanie Desmond, Taylor Murphy, Caroline Kelly, Allie McLaughlin, Nicole Post and Jennelle LeMoine.

“This year was a very special year for me because I started coaching 4 years ago so this group of seniors was the group that I started with” said Alia Camerota, one of the coaches of the team. “It was very bittersweet because I knew that this would be the last time I got to watch this group dance. After 4 years of long practices, competitions and trips to FL, I’ve gotten really close to these girls and it will be very hard for me to not have them on the team next year.”

When I started coaching, the team was new, inexperienced and had never had a coach. The first year, we jumped right into competitions and did everything we could to put our names out there. It was a very important year because we got to know each other and our strengths and weaknesses as a team. Former team Captain and founder Allison Scully is now a co-coach. She and I started the team at our High School years ago and we always worked really well together. It worked out perfectly having her as my captain at Westfield and then moving on to coaching with me once she graduated. We had always watched the College Nationals on ESPN and admired the teams there so we made it a goal that we would attend the UDA National competition in FL the following year. That goal really made the girls push themselves and work their hardest knowing that there would be a lot of very good, well known teams in attendance.

After a successful trip to Florida , we went on to compete locally and we have been undefeated ever since. We have won the QU Dance Challenge 3 years in a row along with many other New England competitions.

I am so proud of what the girls have accomplished. For such a small school to beat division 1 schools says a lot about hard work. Before nationals in January, we were putting in 7-8 hour practices. Instead of enjoying their winter break the girls returned to campus in early January to have 2-a-days. As much work as it was, the team really enjoyed spending time together. Even when not at practice, most of them spend a lot of time with each other and some of them even live together. The memories we’ve created will last a lifetime and I have been very fortunate to have such a wonderful group of girls that I am extremely proud of.

Our first round of try-outs was held at the beginning of May and we will have a second round in early September for the upcoming season.

Feature: West Virginia Dancer Ariel Fink

Beckley native on WVU team that won national competition
By Andrea Lannom
The Register Herald

BECKLEY — Dancing has been a lifelong passion for Beckley native Ariel Fink, and just recently, she got the opportunity to go with her team from West Virginia University to a national dance competition. Not only was this opportunity great, but the fact that her team won was a dream come true.

The National Dance Alliance Collegian Dance Competition took place in Daytona Beach and had around 255 national and select international schools participating. Ariel’s team competed in the open division, which is a bit different from normal competitions, Fink said. With the open division, the team decides what songs they’re going to use and what style of dance they’re going to do. The song they chose was “Dare You to Move” by Switchfoot.

“It was very different,” she said. “With the nature of the open division dancing, you really had to dance from the heart. You had to be different and really feel the music deep inside.”

Dancing and music have always been something to which Fink has an emotional attachment. She started dancing at an early age and said she even remembers how she felt when watching her first performance.

“When I was really little, my mom took me to see ‘The Nutcracker’ and the entire time I just sat still watching,” Fink said. “I was so mesmerized by the performance, even then.”

With all of her years of dancing from beginnings at the Beckley Dance Theatre School to joining the dance team at Woodrow Wilson High School, practice was something she became accustomed to. This competition was no exception. Fink had to go through strict dancing regimens and even skip out on spring break.

“We had a pretty steady regimen and we practiced quite a bit through the week, even through spring break,” she said. “While everyone was at the beach, we were working on perfecting our regimen. It was worth it, though, because it really gave us that competitive edge.”

The team also had to raise at least $17,000 to compete. Because the dance team is not funded, many of the people on the team have to raise their own money and even buy things like uniforms out of pocket.

“Our team was part of the athletics division at one time but not anymore,” she said. “Right now, we don’t receive any funding, but we’re working on becoming a club.”

Even with fundraising and practice, she managed to take on a 21-hour class workload and has been able to make the dean’s list every semester, she said.

“It’s exhausting to try to balance everything, but it’s worth it,” she said. “I always like to have a lot of things to do, so I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Even with her dedication and practice, she says she still felt a little nervous when she first stepped on the stage. Yet this feeling was fleeting.

“There’s always that feeling before you step out on the stage where you feel a tinge of nervousness, yet that goes away when you start dancing,” she said. “Eventually you just give it all you’ve got and you feel a calmness sweep over you.”

She plans to continue her passion of dancing even after school by looking into professional dance teams. First, however, she wants to get her doctorate in audiology.

“One of my big dreams is to be on a professional team some day, maybe for the NFL or something,” she said. “Hopefully when I go to school to get my doctorate, I will find an opportunity to find a professional dance team.”