The day was Sunday, January 18th. Twenty young athletes stepped out onto the dance floor in the ESPN arena, wearing black bodysuits and a bedazzled headpiece. This would be the last time the University of Minnesota dance team would get to perform this routine, and they were going to make it count.
The dance starts out slow, with no words and a single jazz melody playing in the background. Dancers move gracefully as they walk around the floor, seemingly out of place. Then, everything stops, and the formation comes into view. Everyone gets into the right spot, and the real show starts. Dancers showcase different tricks, including leg lifts and front handsprings. Suddenly, everyone is in perfect lines of three rows, executing perfect turns. After the turns, groups form as they break off into different choreographed pieces. In the background, the song “Maybe This Time,” by Natasha Richardson is playing, bringing deeper meaning to the choreography. The words “Not a loser anymore, like the last time and the time before” signify how Minnesota is climbing back to the top after losing in past years. They are fighting for perfection and for the execution to portray their love for dance.
Dancers continue to prance around in formation, committing flawless technique in tricks like 540s and sharpness when doing the same movements in unison.
“It’s gotta happen, happen sometime, Maybe this time I’ll win.”
Movements continue to portray this team’s perseverance and near desperation to be at the top. Flowing arms that start at the top of their head and slam towards the ground show frustration with past results. Partner work where two dancers pretend to tug at each other shows the rough and unforgiving lifestyle these athletes follow in order to be on this stage. In the end, the dancers finish in one big group, representing how victory can only be achieved as a team. The underlying tone was the desire for success and triumph. Even through past struggles and failures, Minnesota put their all into this routine, and it showed.