SIUE’s Competitive Cheer and Dance Teams Host Showcase ahead of Nationals
Fans of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Cheer and Dance Team are invited to come out and enjoy the routines the team has put together ahead of their trip to the National Cheerleaders Association/National Dancers Association College Nationals competition. The Showcase is at 2pm, April 7, in the Student Athletic Center (SAC) gym on the SIUE campus.
The SIUE Cheer and Dance Team will be competing at Nationals in Daytona Beach, Florida April 11-13. Cheer will be competing in Coed Division 1 and Dance will be competing in the Division 1 category. Both teams have stepped up their practices with the hope of making a name for themselves in their Nationals trip.
“The SIUE Cheerleaders and Dance Team are the group of student athletes that are called upon in multiple scenarios to bring crowd engagement, atmosphere and excitement to lots of events,” said Michelle Deets, head coach of SIUE’s Cheer and Dance team. “This (the April 7 showcase) is an opportunity for students and fans to reciprocate that excitement and send the teams off to NCA/NDA College Nationals feeling hyped!”
“We have been competing at NCA/NDA College Nationals since 2013. Excited almost doesn't seem like a big enough word to describe the emotions leading up to and actually competing in Daytona Beach,” said Deets. “I know this year's teams are feeling the pressure because our division is the second largest division at the entire competition. We have placed in the top 10 every year. This team is hungry, talented and motivated to keep doing well.”
The team is fully healthy and filled with motivation and excitement going into their showcase and upcoming trip to Nationals.
“For Cheer, this year's routine is truly a team effort in creativity and making it their own. The music selection for each part of the routine was picked out by the captains. When they put elements into the music and routine, they feel confident in, it changes the dynamic of the performance, and it makes the whole team excited and you will feel that when you watch it at the showcase,” said Deets. “For the Dance Team, we have two routines that we compete with. Our jazz routine is choreographed by a very talented choreographer who has taken us to a new level with this year's routine. We hired a new choreographer for our pom routine this year and the intensity and creativity will keep our fans breathless until the final count of the routine.”
PHOTOS: SIUE Cheer and Dance Showcase flyer; SIUE Dance Team; SIUE Cheer Squad