The Universal Dancers Association (UDA) hosted the collegiate dance nationals in Orlando, Florida, earlier this month.
On January 17-19, collegiate dance teams from all over the nation gathered at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at The Walt Disney World® Resort to compete on the biggest stage of their career.
Dance is a sport that combines athleticism, artistry, and technicality to perform. It requires strength, flexibility, and endurance while putting emphasis on the aspect of storytelling and teamwork.
Each category of the competition is extensive with dances choreographed by some of the top choreographers in the college dance industry.
UDA Nationals consists of 12 categories:
Division 1A Jazz
Division 1A Pom
Division 1A Hip Hop
Division 1 Jazz
Division 1 Pom
Division 1 Hip Hop
Open Jazz
Open Pom
Open Hip Hop
Dance Division 1A Game Day
In recent years, UDA Nationals has gained a lot of exposure on social media due to the popularity of the D1A Hip Hop category.
The Lore Behind the Tiger Girls
In 2022 the Louisiana State University Tiger Girls performed a — what some may deem as Iconic — Hip Hop routine to the song “Like a Boy” by Ciara. This routine won 1st place in the D1A Hip Hop category.
For the past four years, the Tiger Girls have gone back and forth with their top spot in the final placements of the competition and each dance going viral on social media. In 2023, they performed a routine to “Crazy in Love” by Beyonce, taking home 4th place. In 2024, coming back on top with the 1st place title for their dance inspired by Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal".
This year the anticipation for what the Tiger Girls would perform was high as they geared up for the nationals stage — posting cryptic messages online and members of the team changing their social media profile pictures to M&M candies.
In the D1A Hip Hop division this year they performed a dance to Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me a River” which was choreographed by Sammy Mcfadden. The dance used umbrellas as props and once again went viral after day one of the competition.
Despite the online popularity of the routine, going into day two the Tiger Girls were sitting in 5th place. Unfortunately for the team, they had a malfunction with one of the umbrellas breaking during the final competition resulting in a final raw score of 95.8333 placing them in 6th place at UDA Nationals.
What Went Down In the D1A Hip Hop Division
In first place of the D1A Hip Hop Division, this year was the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) which performed a high-energy technical based dance choreographed by Andrew Elam. The dance was full of effortless transitions and exceptional synchronization. UNLV displayed a compelling stage presence that captivated the audience from start to finish; allowing them the number 1 spot at nationals with a raw score of 102.65.
UNLV placed first in 2023 and came in second to LSU in 2024. So this was a redemption year for them to reclaim their title.
Jazzin’ It Up in D1A
Another stand-out category for the competition is the D1A Jazz Division. The top two teams in the division were: The University of Minnesota and Ohio State University (OSU).
The two teams battled hard in this division — during the semi-final competition, the University of Minnesota was in 1st place with a raw score of 100.7833 for their dance.
Ohio State trailed closely behind with just mere tenths of a point raw score of 100.433 for their dance. Both teams offered different elements to the stage. Each showcases the different levels of artistry between the dancers and choreography.
In the final competition, Ohio State University won the competition delivering a technically demanding routine. The dancers executed complex formations, allowing them to demonstrate their spatial awareness and unity as a team. The musical selection was an instrumental selection that complemented the choreography with dynamic shifts in energy and tempo throughout the dance. The technical elements of an intense turn sequence in the dance are what stood out to the judges. Overall, the dancers expressed emotions that conveyed the narrative of the routine. The final score of OSU was a raw score of 102.15.
After leading the competition in the semi-finals, the University of Minnesota came home with the second-place title with a raw score of 101.5167. The dancers dedicated this routine to their loved ones they’d lost. It was choreographed by Tessandra Chavez assisted by Matthew Kubitz. It was an intense storytelling routine that made the dancers tap into the emotional aspect to really capture the judges and audience with their emotions of grief. During the final competition, the team cut out an intricate turn sequence executed by male dancer Matthew Greco at the end of the dance that was initially included during the semi-final competition. Greco replaced the sequence with an emotional hug with the center dancer (Ava Wagner).
Pom Girls
The University of Minnesota and OSU stayed in the neck-and-neck spirit in the D1A pom division.
Minnesota performed a precise routine with sharp motions that hit right on the beat to the techno-beat music that featured a voice-over, which controlled their seamless movements in the dance. They scored a raw score of 103.4 taking home the national title in the D1A pom division.
The Wagner Sisters
For OSU and Minnesota, there was more than just the friendly dynamic that came into play during the competition. Each team had a member of the Wagner family. The Wagner sisters — Ava and Ellie — have made a name for themselves in the dance world.
The girls first gained interest when they competed on season 3 of NBC’s World of Dance.
Now the two sisters are known for competing on two of the best teams in the nation going head to head. Their collegiate dance journey has been something fans have loved to follow along with.
The Wagner parents have gained notice online having to split support for both daughters, especially at UDA nationals when the girls compete back-to-back in the same divisions. This year was special as both girls had the chance to bring home a national champion title.
For the Love of Dance
The 2025 UDA College Nationals was a showcase of talent and passion from teams all over the country, competing in a high-energy weekend of performances. While the D1A divisions gain the most traction; it is important to acknowledge the fierce competition from other divisions in the competition as well.
In the Division 1 categories, the smaller programs showcased their ability to deliver big performances. Teams like Cal State Fullerton and Hofstra University brought innovative choreography and technical aspects that earned them top spots in their respective categories.
In the Open Divisions, schools like Minnesota State University and Northwest Community College proved that smaller programs have the ability to hold their own and execute flawless routines.
Overall, UDA Nationals proves itself to be a pinnacle of collegiate dance. Each division in the competition brings a unique flair to competition dance.
The 2025 competition was a weekend to remember, and the performances demonstrated the true dedication to the sport that these student-athletes possess.
A full list of Division Placements can be found here.
Edited by: Naiya Dalce
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