The South Dakota State University dance team competed at the National Dance Association College Nationals last week in Daytona Beach, Florida. 

The team received a bid to attend the competition while at NDA Camp last summer. Over 250 schools had the opportunity to attend the competition.

The team competed in the pom and jazz events. SDSU made it to finals on Friday and finished fourth in Division I pom in the team’s third year competing in that category. The team also placed 14th in jazz.

“Getting your school’s name called for finals was such an amazing feeling,” Freshman Payton Boyce said. 

Senior Captain Katie Dam said, “The atmosphere is so intense. The teams are so good and it’s so fun to see all of the different teams compete.”

Junior Captain Kennedy Knuth said the pool of teams was much bigger this year after two years of COVID. Junior Captain Ashton Swift agreed.

 “With so many teams competing this year, it was really exciting, especially making finals,” Swift said. “There were a lot of happy tears during our time there.”

The team had a lot of support at this year’s competition, because many parents and alumni made the trip to Daytona Beach to watch them. The team members also were surprised by their assistant coach, Elizabeth Huckins, at the airport in Florida. They thought she would not be attending the competition. 

“Being proud of ourselves, our team and seeing our coaches so proud of us was an incredible feeling,” Dam said. 

On Saturday, the day after the competition, team members went to the beach and enjoyed themselves and reflected on the experience. 

“As a senior, it makes me really proud to say that I was a part of such a great team,” Dam said. “They’re my best friends forever.”

The dance team will now start fundraising to cover expenses for next year’s competition and start tryouts to add members to the team.