“Here we go Tennessee here we go!” The loud chants, electric vibes and the contagious big orange spirit is produced from the heart of the University of Tennessee Dance Team. Each member bleeds orange and white no matter the sporting event or appearance they attend. Not only does the team prepare for gamedays on Rocky Top (football, basketball, and volleyball), but their main focus is in preparation for the University Dance Association’s College National Championship. They are located in Orlando every January.
Tennessee Dance holds five national championship titles, which were claimed in the years 2007, 2008, 2009, 2015 and 2016. They are known for being back to back champions and strive every year to fight for another ring. In 2019 they were named one of the 10 best college dance teams in the nation.
When it comes to recruiting, they take a different route than most college sports. It all begins at the UDA Combine. High school students from all around the country gather in certain locations to show off their skills in front of the head coach of their dream school.
Tennessee Head Coach Kelley Tafazzoli attends the Nashville location where she brings two other members to help scout and talk to future Vols.
“My main goal is to not only search for talent, but to recruit girls who would be a good fit to the team as a whole. It is not just about their ability to dance, but how they would serve our university with their valuable personality and attitude,” said Kelley.
In an interview with third year dance team member, Tracy Kammerer from Colorado, she explained how she gained her respect and interest for Tennessee. “I participated in two combines. Talking to coaches and building connections with girls on the team, just really helped me decide where I wanted to go. UT gave me such a positive vibe and a memorable experience.”
As April rolls around not only do the incoming freshmen get ready for tryouts, but it is also a stressful time for the girls who have already served as members of the UTDT.
“Every year there is between 18-22 spots to fill on the team. Even if you are a past member it does not mean you are guaranteed a spot for the upcoming year,” said Kelley. “Depending on the dancers coming in, there have been unfortunate times where I had to cut returners.”
After an intense three day tryout, the 2019 UTDT consists of 22 girls that represent nine different states. Stretching all the way from the east coast to the west coast, these girls are from New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Colorado, Florida, North Carolina, Kentucky and Tennessee.
In order to train for nationals the UTDT practices four to five times a week, along with 8 a.m. workouts every Tuesday and Thursday. Practices are taken very seriously and are to gain strength and improve skills.
“Fall is a very exciting time for the girls but it can be hard to maintain good grades in school,” said Kelley. “In order to stay on track we require them to have study hours at the Thornton Athletics Student Life Center. The amount of hours are based off of their GPA, unless they are a freshmen then they have to complete six hours a week.”
When the semester comes to an end, unlike other students, the dance team must stay over winter break. The day after finals, their season has only just begun. Practices are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on certain days they are extended due to Men’s and Lady Vol basketball games.
Tennessee Dance will be competing in Division 1A Jazz, Division 1A Pom and the Gameday category. Their goal during practice is to clean and perfect three different routines to their best ability. With that comes the help of their coaches, alumni and other specialists from around the country.
Tracy is excited to start working hard to accomplish personal and team goals as she takes a new perspective on this year’s season. Unfortunately, during the beginning of Tracy’s sophomore year she broke her foot which lead to a three month recovery. Sitting out all of football season was extremely hard on her physically and mentally and also pushed her back during practices for nationals.
“I was an alternate because of my foot situation and that was very different for me because going back to freshmen year I was not one. Fighting for a spot is very hard when you’re alongside your teammate,” said Tracy. At this time she came to the realization that she should never take her spot on the UTDT for granted.
Tennessee Dance will begin their practices on Dec. 13, 2019 in hopes to win the 2020 UDA College National Championship. For more updates about the UTDT during nationals, Jan. 17 to Jan. 19, follow along with Varsity to watch the live stream and receive rankings during the week.
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