Dexter HS Dance Team Shines at Nationals with Historic and Emotional Top-6 Finish

Dexter Varsity Dance Team makes history at UDA Nationals, securing a 6th place finish in Small Varsity Jazz and a 7th place spot in Game Day.

From Katie Ramsburgh

The Dexter Varsity Dance Team had a feeling this year would be special from the outset last spring.

The 2024-25 season is the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Dexter Dance (Pom) Team, and with seven seniors and two returning coaches in their fourth year of coaching, the team was poised to compete at a high level. The team traveled to Orlando, FL, last week to compete at the Universal Dance Association (UDA) National High School Dance competition at ESPN Wide World of Sports. 

The team competed in Game Day, Pom, and Jazz in the DII small varsity category. The girls were up against teams from all over the U.S., with 39 teams in Pom, 42 teams in Jazz, and 29 teams in Game Day. Prelims began on Friday, January 31, and they made team history right from the start. The girls advanced to the next stage in Game Day and Pom, and for the first time in team history, they scored high enough in Jazz prelims to advance straight to finals. The team was elated and ready to take on Pom semi-finals and Game Day finals the next day. 

“The jazz category at UDA Nationals continues to be one of the hardest to compete in,” says Head Coach Morgan Dubey. “There is so much freedom that it can sometimes be hard to pick a vision that’s sure to stand out. That was exactly our goal this year, and taking a risk surely paid off. Wearing bright pink gloves to elevate our visuals and choreography was extremely tough to clean, but we worked endlessly to make sure we were putting the best product on the floor.”

On Saturday, February, 1, the team competed in Game Day finals and placed 7th in the nation! Sadly, the team did not advance out of Pom semi-finals by a few tenths of a point, but the team wasted no time preparing for Jazz finals, practicing into the night on Saturday.

On Sunday, February 2, the team competed in Jazz finals for only the second time in team history. It was an emotional night with many lasts: the last dance together for the seven seniors, the last time watching them compete at Nationals for the senior parents, the last dance for the team with their senior teammates, and the last celebration together as a team, coaches, and parents.

With tears walking out onto the competition floor and tears as they walked off, each soaking it in, the girls left everything they had on the floor. From the little town of Dexter, MI, the Dexter High School Dance Team finished 6th in the nation in the competitive jazz category, an all time team high finish in Small Varsity Jazz! 

“Every change in choreography, visuals, and formations was 100% worth it,” declares Dubey. “This is by far the most prepared, with all three routines, we’ve been going into Nationals, and we are so proud of the result!” 

Next up for the team is the Kid’s Dance Clinic on February 14. Prep clinics and tryouts for the 2025-26 team will occur in the spring. Follow the team on Facebook or Instagram to watch the routines at Nationals and for updates on clinics and tryouts.