The FAU Dance squad is heading to the national competition this year not in search of first place but in defense of their top position. The squad, who is coached by Jennifer Marsh and Trish Dittmer, is currently first in the nation in the Open Dance Division. The team is gearing up for the April competition held in Daytona Beach, Florida. This will be the ninth competition for FAU who started attending in 1997.
Marsh is very proud of the squad’s success this year but is not one to overlook the hard work that it has taken the team saying, “We have had a lot of trials and tribulations this year but nothing enough to hold us back.” Marsh designed the teams uniforms this season, which consist of black pants with a red belt and a black and red top, also helps to come up with some of the team’s choreography. However the majority of the team’s choreography is done by professional choreographer Tony Gonzalez. Gonzalez, who is based out of LA, works with such big names as the Laker Girls and Vanessa Carlton.
The Dance team, who will be holding spring auditions on April 19 and 21 is heading to nationals with a make up of almost all rookie Dancers. The two exceptions are team captain O’Shaun Uter and Lisa DelPazzo, who are both four year veterans on the team.
Uter recognizes that, even though she has been there before, this is an exciting time for the team. “The team is really excited,” says Uter of nationals. According to Uter competition is always tough at nationals. “When you go to nationals it gets very competitive,” she added. The competition this year will be different for the team than it has been in the past. This year the team will be the ones that everyone else is striving to beat.
Nationals is not just a competition for the girls. According to Uter, it is a time for the team to get closer. The team who is said by the captain to get along very well already seems to always come closer together when nationals come around. “It is a really good bonding experience for us,” said Uter of the competition. The team heads to the competition this month looking to come back still on top.
