NDA Nationals 2018 – 2019

This season the Boston University Dance Team was walking into a brand new nationals experience. Although the team competes at the NDA National Collegiate Championship in Daytona Beach, FL every April this is the first time the team competed a Jazz routine. The BUDT placed 5th in a very competitive Division I Jazz category and could not be more proud to have achieved a top 5 placement in our debut!  The girls are honored to have been the first to compete in Jazz for the BUDT. It is extremely rewarding to maintain the program’s position as a top Division 1 dance team given this transition. The week’s achievements stem from a full year of hard work and dedication. We wrap up our 2018-2019 season feeling so fulfilled and reminded that the work is always worth it!

Team Nationals 

We could not have had such success at Nationals without our amazing choreography! Working with Innovate Choreo for our routine this year was an absolute dream. Karl Mundt and Kia Hill collaborated to give the BUDT breathtaking choreography which combined the strength and power our team has always showcased while maintaining the elegance of lyrical jazz movement. We were very lucky to have Kia come work with the team for a weekend shortly before Nationals where she helped us make some tweaks and focus on performance quality. She is such a positive light and inspired all of our dancers to find the dynamics in every moment of the dance. We all moved with more confidence and her influence translated to our performance on stage. We were equally fortunate to spend some time with Karl down in Daytona. His expertise and motivation was a huge asset in our final practices before our prelim performance. He helped everyone find an empowering headspace to get ready for competition. He preaches delivering the best possible execution when it counts and the team made that our mantra for the week. It was so encouraging to have Karl in our practice floor sessions immediately before performing. It is not always the case that we get to perform for our choreographer and knowing he was in the audience really pushed everyone to make him proud. We can’t thank Karl and Kia enough for their influence on our season! The BUDT is honored to be part of the Innovate Choreo family.

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Along with preparing for a new performance category, the BUDT started the season with some changes in leadership. Taylor Littlefield, assistant coach since fall of 2015, took over the position of head coach this season and brought her sister Maddy Cate on as assistant coach! The sisters are both University of South Carolina Dance Team alumni. For Taylor, balancing another full time job and her pregnancy with coaching the team was no small task. We cannot thank her enough for her commitment and the profound impact she has made on the program! With a smaller coaching staff than the program has had in past years, captain Nina Maroudas (QST ’19) had to assume a larger role. Being a senior fiercely dedicated to her team, Nina was willing to step up and take on whatever would be necessary to have a successful final season. The collaboration between Taylor and Nina inside and outside of practice was essential to the productivity of the team all season long. At Nationals, the team was lucky to have the assistance of our incredible alumni. The growth we achieved in the practices leading up to competition would not have been possible without their guidance! Although it was sad not to have Taylor there with us it was extra motivation for the girls to make her proud. On behalf of the entire team we want to congratulate Taylor for adding a soon-to-be baby boy to the BUDT family! The BUDT is so grateful for the strong leadership we had this season.

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As hard as practices, workouts, and time management between academics and dance may get throughout the year, the overwhelming love and commitment the girls have for each other is what keeps them going. Nationals is by far the best example of this camaraderie and is particularly evident in how much the girls are able improve their performance in just a few short days in Daytona Beach, FL. A pure love for dance and the impact it has had on each of the girls’ lives inspired the routine. At Nationals the girls focused on why they love to dance and the emotion they could bring to their performance to make that translate to their audience and judges. Regardless of placement, being able to do what you love with your best friends to showcase a full year of diligent hard work is the greatest reward there is. Overcoming so many changes this season the BUDT is extremely proud and excited for what the future has in store! 

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Not only do the girls support one another, they have a huge support system ranging from alumni, to friends, to family who truly help make all of our success possible. The love and encouragement the team receives from this network each year has been essential to how far we’ve come. If you are interested in joining the BUDT family or have any questions about our team, be sure to email us at budt@bu.edu! 

Join us for a Free Class and Info Session!

Are you interested in trying out for the BU Dance Team?

Join us for a Free Class followed by an Information Session to learn more about the team and tryout process in Case Gym on Tuesday, September 11 from 7:00pm-9:00pm! 
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You will learn a short dance team style Jazz combination and have the chance to ask any questions regarding the tryout process, our team, competitions, and how we fit into the BU community. It's a great opportunity for any dancer who thinks they might be interested in the BUDT! Make sure to RSVP to our Facebook event to get updates as we get closer to the 11th. Please feel free to email budt@bu.edu with any questions until then. We hope to see you there! 

Don't forget to find our table at Splash on Saturday, September 8th on Nickerson Field from 12:00pm-2:00pm! We can't wait to meet you!

2018-2019 Tryouts

It's that time of year again when all the Terriers will be returning to campus! The 2018-2019 dance season is fast approaching and after being reminded that #TheWorkIsWorthIt at NDA Camp earlier this month the BUDT is so excited for another great year! We couldn’t be more excited to add to our family and find new members who are as passionate as we are about dancing!

Fall Tryouts will be held on September 15th & 16th in Case Gym!

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Session 1: Saturday, September 15th: 10:30am-1:00pm
Session 2: Saturday, September 15th: 2:00pm-5:00pm
Session 3: Sunday, September 16th: 8:30am-12:00pm

If you are interested in trying out for the team, please see our Tryouts page for details about the schedule, what you can expect, and how you can best prepare! Dancers will need all necessary forms and waivers filled out prior to tryouts to be eligible for consideration. Download our 2018 Tryout Packet for all the information you need!

If you have any questions before then, please feel free to email us at budt@bu.edu. Check back here or on our Facebook event for more information! We look forward to seeing you in September!

NDA Camp 2018

The 2018-2019 dance season is quickly approaching and the BUDT was so excited to have such a successful NDA camp to kick it off! We are always eager to get our dance family back together after months apart during the summer. The 3-day NDA camp is hosted annually at our home base Boston University. We always enjoy meeting dancers from other teams, learning new choreography, taking master classes with NDA staff, and working on our technique together as a team!

During camp we compete a hip hop routine in the Gameday Competition at the beginning of the week, and camp concludes with the Team Dance competition where we perform the choreography we learn from the staff in just two short days! Our team looks forward to camp each year as an incredible opportunity to learn and grow closer to one another moving into the new year. We are thrilled to announce that we won 1st place in the Division I competition, Most Spirited, Most Collegiate, the Best All Around title and a GOLD PAID BID to the 2019 NDA National Championship in Daytona Beach, Florida!! We want to extend a special congratulations our three All-American winners: Nina Maroudas, Alex Romano, and Cristina Bartoletti– you all did such an amazing job!

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NDA Camp is just another testament to one of our favorite mottos: #TheWorkIsWorthIt! We can’t wait to start this new season and keep our positive momentum from NDA Camp going all year long! If you are interested in becoming part of the BUDT family and making rewarding memories like these please connect with us on campus this fall and we hope to see you at this year's tryouts!

 

 

NDA Nationals 2017-2018

As we look back at our Nationals experience this year we are so proud of everything we have accomplished. The Boston University Dance Team placed third in both the Division I Team Performance and in Division I Hip Hop competitions. The team continues to place highly and the girls are so excited to have brought such a high level of execution to both their routines on what was a very competitive stage. The week’s achievements stem from a full year of hard work and dedication. Attending Boston University first and foremost as students, the girls understand that it can be difficult competing against teams who go to their school to focus on dance. Yet, it allows the team's continued position as one of the top Division I dance teams in the country to have a deeper sense of reward as they have balanced so much on their plate to get there.

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Every year is a roller-coaster: both physically and mentally the girls push their limits with performing their best at nationals as their end goal. This year the BU Dance Team incorporated a morning workout schedule. Thanks to our trainer Isaac Soares, from Marathon Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine, this is the most conditioned the team has ever been. The girls woke up for workouts at 6:30 AM to work with their trainer before classes twice a week. Not only does this demonstrate their enormous dedication to the team, it was also a bonding experience to push one another in a program the team had not used before.

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The conditioning exercises were tailored to the skills required of the girls for their nationals routines, built strength and mobility, and focused on injury prevention. Every girl knew the importance of preventing injury and took their strength and conditioning seriously. We look forward to working with Isaac again this coming year!

As hard as practices and workouts may get, the overwhelming love and commitment the girls have to each other is both beautiful and inspiring to witness. Nationals is by far the best example of this camaraderie and is particularly evident in how much the girls improve in the few short days they have in Daytona Beach, FL. Our Team Performance routine was intended to showcase the strength of our dancers and they struggled with getting their performance quality to the next level after they had mastered the execution of the routine. Their prelims performance was good but they knew that they could break through a wall and perform better on the finals floor. With the encouragement of their coaches and alumni the girls brought an unforgettable finals performance to the audience.

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Cydney Scott Photography

By encouraging each other to let go, talking to each other on the floor, and most importantly going out there with the understanding that they believed in one another unconditionally, they were able to achieve their personal goals. Rising senior and co-captain of next year’s team Nina Maroudas looks back on that performance: “I will never forget how I felt during that routine. The energy was explosive and I felt a push from everyone around me that I had never felt before. Our placement didn’t matter to me or anyone else when we came off that stage, we were only overwhelmed with pride for bringing by far our best performance of that routine to the audience that day.” The following day the girls had so much fun performing their Hip Hop routine and left their Nationals experience feeling grateful for another amazing season.

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Not only do the girls support one another, they feel so honored to have a huge support system ranging from alumni, to friends, to family who truly help make all of their success possible each year. We couldn’t be more grateful for all the love and encouragement and would like to specifically thank our dedicated head coach Kaitlyn Barba, and our wonderful assistant coaches Kate Stanton and Taylor Cate for everything they do! We were also lucky enough to have photographer Cydney Scott follow the team throughout the year with her camera as she worked on an article to feature the team in BU Today. If you want to see what it takes to be a member of the BU Dance Team and all the work that goes into competing at NDA Nationals you can read the features here. If you are interested in joining the BUDT family or have any questions, be sure to email us at budt@bu.edu!

Come to Our Information Session!

Are you thinking about trying out for the BU Dance Team?

Please come join us for an information session on Sunday, September 10th from 5-6pm in the Eilberg Lounge located in the Case Athletic Center!

If you are interested in hearing more about our team, we will be holding a meeting to provide more information and answer any questions you may have. We will discuss our main style of dancing, our level of commitment and execution and our passion for dance! We will also address what you can expect during the year if you become a member of our team. An overview of what to expect at tryouts will also be discussed. You will have the opportunity to ask any questions regarding the tryout process, our team, competitions, and how we fit into the BU community.

If you are a dancer and have any interest in our team, make sure to join us. We hope to see you there! Also, don't forget to check us out at Splash on Saturday, Sept 12th from 12-2pm at Nickerson Field!

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2017 NDA Camp

With another dance season quickly approaching the BUDT was excited to start the year off on a such a high note-- another awesome 3 day NDA Camp, held at BU! After a long awaited reunion of our dancers and coaches we got camp underway, learning new choreography, taking awesome master classes and working on our technique as a team.

At the end of camp we competed the new team dance routine we learned and walked away with our heads held high. We are so excited to have won 1st place in Division I, Most Spirited, Most Collegiate, Best All Around and a GOLD BID to the 2018 National Championship in Daytona Beach, Florida!! We are also very proud to congratulate our three All-American winners: Tiina Lugus, Alex Romano and Katie Chandler-- you guys are awesome!

NDA Camp was so much fun and we loved proving once again that #TheWorkIsWorthIt! We can't wait to start our next season and keep our momentum from NDA Camp going!

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Fall 2017-2018 Tryouts

Boston University Dance Team

The 2017-2018 season is fast approaching and after an amazing season, the BUDT is so excited for another year! Last season the BUDT brought home 2nd place in D1 Hip Hop and 4th place in D1 Team Dance at Nationals and we couldn't be more thrilled. We left Daytona Beach with smiles on our faces and another fantastic Nationals under our belt, knowing that after a season full of ups and downs, our hard work had payed off.

With the school year just around the corner, we couldn't be more excited to expand our family. We're looking for dancers interested in joining the Boston University Dance Team with whom we can share our love for both dance and our school!

Fall Tryouts will be held on September 13th, 14th, & 16th in Case Gym!

Session 1: Wednesday, September 13th: 7pm-10pm
Session 2: Thursday, September 14th: 7pm-10pm
Session 3: Saturday, September 16th: 10:30am-2pm

If you are interested in trying out for the team, please see our Tryouts page for details about the schedule, what you can expect, and how you can prepare! And make sure to download our Tryout Packet for additional information!

If you have any questions before then, please feel free to email us at budt@bu.edu. Check back here or on our Facebook event for more information! We look forward to seeing you in September!

Nationals 2016-2017

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Nationals has come and gone already and the BU Dance Team could not be more proud of all that we have accomplished this season! The 2017-2018 dance season brought with it may challenges and many amazing memories. Our trip to nationals was one we will never forget and a trip that could only have been accomplished thanks to our many generous sponsors, friends and family.

In Daytona Beach, Florida we performed in the D1 Team Performance category and the D1 Hip Hop category. Placing 4th in Team Performance and 2nd in Hip Hop, the team left with a sense of pride and accomplishment from that bandshell. This year marks the BU Dance Team's fifth year in a row leaving NDA Nationals in the top five of the D1 category! We couldn't be more proud to have danced our hearts out on the bandshell and left it all on the floor. Leaving Daytona with not only one, but two routines in the top 5 is the cherry on top to such an exciting and fulfilling season!

This was a whirlwind season complete with torn ACL's, concussions, broken noses and many more obstacles both on and off the dance floor. Despite such a tough season for dancers and coaches alike, the BUDT somehow managed to persevere staying focused on nationals and working diligently towards our goals. Through the love we have for dance, our coaches and each other we were able to perform not one but two spectacular routines at nationals despite many setbacks throughout the season.

The work was definitely worth it for this hardworking and dedicated team! We can't wait for next year already but for now that's a wrap to the 2016-2017 season for the BUDT!

Keep up with all of our summer activities on our Instagram: @budanceteam

BUDT National Championship Ceremony

It was a busy week for the BUDT! At the Men's Basketball game on Sunday, BU Athletics honored our National Championship from last year with a ceremony. There is nothing we love more than cheering on our terriers, and to be honored for our achievements while doing it reminded us that the work is worth it! As much as we loved the celebration this past weekend we know that we didn't just get there by chance. So, in preparation for nationals, we have been putting in countless hours of training and meetings and of course using Andy Berler's BMAX to ensure that we are as prepared as possible for this coming season.

This weekend the BUDT had a few surprises! To show their support of all that we have accomplished, numerous alumni came back to celebrate with us. We shared many laughs and hugs, and received wise words from our older sisters about how to achieve all of our dreams for this season. Having so much BUDT family back in town was exciting and emotional and reminded us of just how much we have to look forward to this season. There is only 10 days left in our crowdfunding campaign, so please consider donating by clicking here and helping us out so that we can reach for the stars and defend our title this year!

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