The Jasper Dancers take on Daytona for this year’s National Dance Alliance (NDA) Championship.
MOLLY CALLAHAN/ COURTESY
Elizabeth Kalaj & Mary Haley, Senior Writer and Asst. Features Editor & Marketing Chair
Jasper Dancers
The Jasper Dancers arrived in Daytona on April 9 for the National Dance Alliance [NDA] national competition. The team competed in the preliminary round in the jazz and hip-hop categories, with unique choreographed routines for each. While in Daytona, the Dancers attended many different practices and run-throughs, some lasting several hours.
The Jasper Dancers were eliminated from the hip-hop and jazz categories following the preliminary round scoring. Molly Callahan, a senior co-captain on the team, explained the team’s experience with both categories this season.
“I am super proud of us in jazz because we did something we have never done before and hired an outside choreographer,” Callahan said. “It was really exciting and it was the most challenging dance that I have ever had during my time on this team. He really pushed us so hard and was really good about playing to each of our strengths, and I think that that really comes across well in the dance.”
Callahan also recalled the distinctiveness of their hip-hop routine, which the Jasper Dancers are typically recognized for nationally.
“One of the things that I really like about our team is that we always stick with an authentic, true routine to form hip-hop,” Callahan said. “Especially being from the Bronx, we want to respect the history of the style because it originated here and we used a song by DMX, who is from Yonkers [New York]. We also wear Timberland boots on stage, which made us memorable and different, while also being true to the authentic style of hip-hop.”
The Jasper Dancers’ experience at NDA furthered their wisdom and experiences collected within the world of dance. Athena Ambizas, a freshman rookie member of the team, reflected on her experience in Daytona.
“There were definitely highs and lows of our time in Daytona,” Ambizas said. “Sometimes the days were just long and we were very drained, but the payoff was definitely worth it. Everyone supported each other and we were all there to lift each other up when we found out good or bad news. We were so tired yet had so much energy and we all wanted the same thing while experiencing something together. The best aspect of being there was knowing that we all had each other’s backs completely.”
This season will serve as a guide for the members of the Jasper Dancers while preparing for next year’s NDA championship. The team plans to go into the season with a clean slate and an open mind.
“Due to our third-place win last year, I think we came in very confident, which is not a problem, but we planned to hit back with the same force, if not get higher than we thought,” Ambizas said. “This year, that is not what happened and I feel like we got a little in over our heads. Going into next season, I think we need to just take a step back and really be in the moment and go in with little to no expectations. I think that will help us with any outcome, because then we will not be expecting anything and be grateful for everything.”
Cheerleading Team
This year, the Manhattan University cheerleading team returned to the NCA Collegiate National Championship in Daytona Beach from April 9 to April 15.
The team entered their second-ever appearance at the prestigious competition aiming not just to participate, but to improve. Scoring 81 points, a significant leap from last year’s performance in the seventies, the team demonstrated their growing strength and year-long work on the national stage.
Assistant Coach Victoria Aulov shared with The Quadrangle where the team’s heads were at while heading down to the national competition.
“This time, we didn’t go in just to make history,” Aulov said. “We went in with the mindset that we wanted to be better than we were last year. We were more polished, more confident, and our execution showed that.”
The NCA draws in elite programs from across the country. Aulov described the atmosphere of a competition as being exciting, but sometimes intimidating.
“When you come to see these cheer teams and everything that they put out on the mat, especially famous teams like Navarro College and other teams that you’ve seen on the Netflix series, you see these people in real life and right up front, and it can either be extremely intimidating, or it can be very powerful and inspirational,” Aulov said. “I think what the girls took away from it was that it’s being inspirational.”
The team’s routine was scored across six major components – stunts, pyramids, tosses, jumps, standing tumbling and running tumbling – with each category rated for both difficulty and execution. Additional points were awarded for performance qualities like choreography, overall effect and visual image. Aulov explained that tumbling remains a growth area, but emphasized that their jump in scoring came from cleaner routines, improved difficulty in stunts and stronger team dynamics.
“They really learned what it means to be a team,” Aulov said. “It wasn’t just about showing up for themselves, it was about showing up for the person next to them.”
With a new executive board already elected and tryouts underway for August’s NCA summer camp, the Jasper cheerleaders are excited for what is to come with the next cheer season.
“It’s only our second year competing, but we’re building something real,” Aulov said. “We’re just getting started.”