The Surge

Every year, college dance teams from all over the nation come together to compete at the Universal Dance Association (UDA) College Nationals. This competition is held at the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN) Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando Fl. Dance teams perform various styles such as hip hop, pom and jazz. Competition season brings chaos and excitement as people root for different teams to take home the national title.

In the 2026 Division 1A Hip Hop Finals, the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) placed first. This sparked controversy; after Louisiana State University’s (LSU) prop malfunctions last year, people were hoping that LSU would take home the win.They had used umbrellas that ended up being flipped up towards the end of their routine, which may have led to points being deducted. I, however, am happy with the Hip Hop placement this year. 

UNLVs Hip Hop choreography created chills throughout my body, just seeing how the athletes moved was so mesmerizing to watch. This team is also very strong in acrobatic skill as we saw many back flips, dancers jumping off each other’s backs and a very memorable death drop. This dance was very technical, challenging and powerful which led to them being placed first. Although I was intrigued by LSUs intense routine to Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 Superbowl halftime set, I believe UNLV deserved their win because of their insanely crafted choreography and the energy they brought to the stage. 

For the Division 1A Pom Finals, the University of Minnesota took home the win, followed by Texas Tech University in second place and Ohio State in third place. I believe Texas Tech’s pom routine should have won. The sharp movements, incredible synchronization and clean transitions, all of which stayed consistent throughout their whole routine, stood out to me especially. Many Texas Tech dancers worked vigorously throughout the season to learn new  skills for this routine, like the backflip, so it was very impressive to see everyone stick it at nationals this year. I felt that every trick they did came with high precision and control, even their turns were captivating and punctual. I feel they should have placed above Minnesota because of their great performance of such difficult choreography.

Jazz was another main category and highlight of this competition. Jazz routines are scored by technique, flexibility and an emotional performance. Jazz exemplifies the art of dancing and control. Ohio State won the Division 1A Jazz national title, which I completely agree with. Their routine was explosive with their remarkable technique, skill and emotion. This dance had me at the edge of my seat. The fluidity within their movements was so incredible to watch. I admired how many solo moments these athletes got as they could show off their strengths in dancing. I especially loved when they were a minute into their dance and they had miniature group dances at the same time. The synchronization within that almost made me emotional as the crowd was roaring with excitement. I really do believe Ohio State deserved this win because this routine had me captivated from the moment I first started watching. 

Bottom Line: While there were slightly unfair judgements and strong opinions from fans, everything came together in the end considering what the teams brought to the floor. I seriously believe every team came in stronger than ever and this has boosted the rigor of this competition. I loved everyone’s performance and I am eager to tune in next year.