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Get Pumped Up!

U Dance Fest Returns

By Alexzandra Enger

One year ago I wrote an article for Sheer Dance discussing the juxtaposition between U Dance Fest and USA Dance Amateur Nationals. Now, U Dance Fest 2017 hasn’t happened yet as of my writing this, so I can’t exactly muse about my experience there (look for that next month, where I’ll be talking about dancing in Novice for the very first time!), but what I can do is tell you how absolutely excited I am for this competition to finally arrive.

As you’ve no doubt heard by now, this year’s Fest is being held at a rather exciting – and historic – location. Downtown Saint Paul’s Union Depot will be home to at least one thousand competitors and spectators during the first weekend in March. Amped up, overly-caffeinated, far too excitable (but is there really such a thing, especially in dancesport?) and, most of all, warm, welcoming, and friendly competitors, the majority of whom are college students, will be laying their best down on the floor very soon. I’ve been through two Fests so far in my time as a ballroom dancer, both of which were hosted at Dancer’s Studio, and if my expectations are to be proportionate based on previous years’ volume of competitors and their boisterous energy they’re certainly higher than I’ve had for any other competition. I’m already stocking up on protein bars and Red Bull because I seriously doubt that I’ll want to tear my eyes off the floor or leave the stands, when I’m not dancing of course, for long enough to take a nap or eat a proper meal.

My partner and I are cracking into Novice this time around, which is a prospect both incredibly exciting and a tiny bit terrifying. At Fest 2015 I was in bronze, and now we’re here. That in itself is something I am incredibly proud of, and I think is reflected in all collegiate competitors. I’ve encountered people who are of the opinion that collegiate dancers aren’t “real” ballroom dancers, or otherwise implied that we’re of a lesser class of dancer simply because we began with the sport while in school. While I can understand this viewpoint, I can’t disagree more with it. Sure, we’re less likely to dance pro-am or take weekly private lessons (mostly because college students are, as a breed, broke), but that doesn’t mean that we’re any less passionate or dedicated. I’ve met some of the most talented, brilliant dancers with hearts just as immense through the collegiate circuit, and I’ve seen more than a few go on to become champion dancers. If anything, collegiate dancers are more passionate for ballroom than others. After you’ve been to a collegiate competition, whether as a spectator or competitor, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a single competition with higher energy or greater camaraderie.

Dance Fest certainly isn’t a low-level or collegiate-only competition at all. Many of the adult competitors aren’t students, and there’s a fair number of preteen and child competitors as well. Like most competitions, there’s a large number of dancers around the bronze proficiency level, but there’s definitely plenty healthy competition at the silver, gold, and open levels. There are very few competitions where I’ve seen more than one round of callbacks for silver and gold, but Fest is one of them.

I’m what you might call a pre-pre-planner. I’ve already got a packing list written out for each day of the competition and many of the things I won’t be using until the competition are already packed (like my false eyelashes: I love them to death, but you’d probably have to pay me to wear those on a daily basis). Is this a bit excessive? Yeah, probably, but I’m thoroughly convinced that this is just my attempt at trying to force time to pass more quickly so I can go and experience Fest as soon as I can. I’m insanely excited, both to compete and to spectate. If you’re also competing, come find me and say hi! If you’re not, I very much hope that you’ll mark the weekend of March 4th & 5th off on your calendar so you can come spectate. I can promise it’ll be the best $10 entry fee you’ll spend!

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