Harvard Dance Team Places Fifth In National College Championships

Six years after their founding, the Harvard Crimson Dance Team placed fifth in a national competition last week.

Over 70 teams competed in the National Dance Alliance Collegiate Championship, held in Daytona Beach, Fla., on April 5 and 6.

After placing seventh in a preliminary round on Thursday, the 12-member female squad moved on to the final round.

This was the first year that the squad advanced to the finals.

"Making finals meant so much to us. The team was founded with this competition in mind, and we've worked so hard. It was really amazing to meet that goal," team member Vedra Chandler '02 said.

Team Captain Kimberlee R. Garis '01 shared Chandler's enthusiasm.

"It is usually the same 10 schools in the final round. It was very exciting just to be there," she said.

The Harvard team continued their stellar performance into the final round.

With a score of 9.13, the Harvard squad was the first team to reach the nine-point threshold.

"We were so psyched because we were the first team to break into the nines. That was really huge for us," Garris said.

After performing, the squad held the winners' circle as James Madison University and Wright State University performed.

However, a team from Tamagawa University soon topped their scores.

Harvard ultimately took home fifth place in the highly competitive tournament. UNC-Charlotte University and Towson University tied for first place.

"We are so thrilled and so proud of each other. We were the only team in the top 10 without a coach," Garris said.

The Harvard squad was also the only team in the top five who had not placed that high before.

The team's victory was made even sweeter by the presence of the founding members of the squad in the audience.

Hsin Chau '98, one of the original members of the Crimson Dance Team, traveled to Daytona Beach to support the team.

"It was really exciting to see them do so well. It seems like the team has come such a long way from when we first started. We were just as nervous as the girls before they went on to perform!" Chau said.

Last year, the team placed 12th in the competition.

Chandler, who will be captain next year, said that she hopes to advance the team even more by finding a coach.

"We have come so far in just one year, and we are very excited to keep moving forward. We came just behind teams that have been champions and are real powerhouses. Now, to bring back first place, we would really like to have a coach," she said.

Highlights from the competition will be aired on CBS on April 28. The entire tournament will be shown on USA at a later date.