Above: The SAU Dance team poses alongside their second place trophy. Photo courtesy of Jamie Crawford.

There is no historic three-peat for SAU’s storied dance team after falling to Midland by a slight margin. The national championships were held on March 29th at the George Gervin GameAbove Center. The Bees took second, coming so close with a final score of 92.08, only .16 short.

SAU Dance has achieved an impressive total of six National Championships, a testament to its dedication and excellence in competitive dancing. Its most recent victories occurred in 2023 and 2024, marking its success as back-to-back champions.

Head Coach Laurel says, “We really wanted to push the envelope with innovative choreography and intricate skills that were difficult while keeping the standard of SAU Dance. Our team skills were across the board harder than ever, and our routine started with a bang and never stopped.”

When asked what was special about this team, Laurel Ritter, Head Coach of the Blue dance team says, “There was a point in the season after the GVU competition where we started to love and trust one another. We created a bond with each other, and everyone genuinely liked each other, which was so lovely to have and have a desire to be together and work hard together.”

Grace Sheldon, Senior at St Ambrose, Captain of SAU Dance Team, says that she’s proud of the team, “This team had such a strong bond with each other that made coming to practice even on your hardest days more tangible. This group of girls supported each other in and outside of dance.”

When asked how she felt about their performance at Nationals, she said, “Our performance was something that St. Ambrose had never brought to the floor. We showed up and danced a routine that everyone in the audience could feel all the passion and energy. After finals, we looked at each other and knew that we had just made history. I wish I could go back to that very performance and perform it one more time with my best friends.

“Scores don’t define how you do. At the end of the day, the most important thing is how we stuck together through so many struggles that came along our way and still came out in the end. These girls are soul sisters who will cherish their friendships for the rest of their lives way more than a first-place trophy.”

During the preliminaries, the dance team received a disappointing score of 91.5. Upon hearing this score, the team was shocked. Determined to improve their performance, they practiced late into the night after the preliminaries. Their hard work paid off, as they scored a 92.08 in the finals after their performance.

When the SAU dance team was called up to receive their runner-up trophy, they were greeted with a standing ovation. This powerful response demonstrated the crowd’s deep appreciation for the dedication and effort they put into their performance.

Laurel adds, “The standing ovation was the best part of the weekend. I’ve never seen a second-place team with a standing ovation like that. It felt so genuine and rewarding to see.

“We were our biggest competitors. Our focus was if we do our best or need to do better, we will keep trying to be better than what we were the previous day.”

Leah Zeimet, a Senior at St Ambrose and captain of the Dance Team, says, “Our team has never felt prouder of a performance at Nationals. We hit every skill we strived and worked so hard to perfect. 

“Even more so, our team left the audience feeling moved, and that is something truly special. No amount of drilling skill reps can teach dancers how to make the audience feel something. That comes from the heart: our love for dance and each other!”

When asked if she had any takeaways from the competition, she stated that, “My takeaway from Nationals is that hard work will always pay off. My team put in the work to hit every skill in our routine, and we achieved this goal with pride. I have a lot of gratitude to attend a school where dance is respected as a sport because the athleticism and dedication of SAUDT is top tier!”

Despite not achieving their desired results, the dance team is determined to strive for even greater success next year.

To read about the cheer team’s third consecutive national championship, click here.

Devyn George is a staff writer for The Buzz.