While the NFL’s Super Bowl is three weeks away, the Universal Dance Association (UDA) Nationals Super Bowl takes place this weekend. Collegiate dance teams come from all over the country to Orlando, Florida, to compete on the ESPN stage. What are they competing for? It’s simple: to be the best college dance team in the country.
UDA College Nationals takes place from January 16-18. The categories consist of: Jazz, Open Jazz, Pom, Hip-Hop, and Gameday. But the big one is Jazz. The big category is DIA, which showcases teams like Ohio State, Minnesota, Texas Tech, Michigan, and more. Only 17 teams advance to the semifinals, and only 10 advance to the finals.
Over the past 2 years, there has been more attention on the UDA nationals, specifically focusing on the rivalry between Ohio State and Minnesota. The Ohio State dance team is the 13x Nationals Champion, and Minnesota is the 23x Nationals Champion. For the past 2 years, Ohio State has taken home the National Champion title in the Jazz category, while Minnesota has placed second, and the reverse for the Pom category.
The Wagner Sisters
Up until last year, there were sisters on both teams: Ellie Wagner, who graduated from Ohio State this past year, and Ava Wagner, who would be graduating from Minnesota this year, but she instead chose to pursue her career in the dance world early. Watching these sisters compete against each other but still be proud of each other was amazing. It promoted such a love between these two teams, which the media put up against each other. This year, even though the Wagner sisters aren’t competing, they are still very involved in their programs. Ava Wagner is the choreographer of Minnesota’s Jazz section, and Ellie Wagner is now the assistant coach of Ohio State.
My Personal Experience
This is my favorite time of year. As an ex-dancer, watching these athletes put their all into a 2-minute routine after working for months to perfect every move is my favorite type of art. Stepping foot onto the UDA Nationals Stage is a feeling that will never compare with anything else. You are representing your school, your program, and the teammates you have worked with for hours on end. I have been lucky enough to step foot on that stage, and wow. That feeling is insane.
If you’re new to the dance world, I recommend watching Ohio State’s past routines. For me personally, Ohio State’s Jazz 2024 performance lives rent-free in my head, but so does Minnesota’s Pom 2025 routine.