Dexter Dance Team Shines in Season Debut with Top Finishes at DTU Regional

Photos by Morgan Dubey and Raquel Clayton

The Dexter High School Dance Team (DHSDT) had a strong start to the 2025-26 season, placing 2nd in small varsity jazz, 2nd in the game day spirit showdown, and 3rd in small varsity pom! 

The team graduated seven seniors last year, which positioned them for significant change this season. Returning head coach Morgan Dubey added coach Jena Davenport, who was part of the coaching duo that led the Edge All Stars to a national title in February 2025. 8 rookies joined the DHSDT vets, Ella Jensen, Ainslie Ramsburgh, Ally Ohtonen, Cat Maust, Samantha Clayton, and Kate Morley, to round out this year’s team. 

DHSDT began practicing together in May 2025, attended training camp in July and spent all of August preparing for the 2025-26 season. They turned the temperature up when school and the football season started, practicing 10+ hours a week in addition to their studio hours to learn and perfect game day sidelines, halftime routines, and their 3 competition dances for the season. 

DHSDT has been participating in the Universal Dance Association (UDA), one of the national dance competition organizing bodies, since 2016. For the 2025-26 season the team made the choice to switch to the Dance Team Union (DTU), national organizing body. DTU was founded in 2016 and, according to their website, is a coach and dancer-centered national organization committed to “equitable judging that values artistry equally with technique and execution.”

They kicked off their season at the DTU regional 1 Detroit competition at Rochester High School on November 9. Competing in the small varsity category against Caledonia, Chippewa Valley, Detroit Country Day School, Pinckney, Rochester (reigning national champions), Royal Oak, Stevenson Ford United, Stoney Creek, Westerville North, and Woodhaven, the girls competed their jazz, pom, and game day routines, finishing top 3 in all.

Next up is the DTU regional competition in Grand Rapids on December 14. This young team shows lots of promise for the rest of the coming season and the years beyond.