While sports fanatics participate in yearly trends, such as their Fantasy Football leagues or March Madness predictions, lovers of the art of dance portray different excitement when it comes to their passion. When it comes to expressing adoration for a specific choreography or dancer, audiences tend to recreate dance steps and post them on social media to encourage or praise the dancers who originally performed them. In particular, iconic dance moments from the past couple of years resonate with both dancers and non-dancers as numerous showcases and choreography sequences prove the astounding talent of these artists.
Minnesota Dance Team turn sequence
With the recent Universal Dance Association’s (UDA) College Nationals January 17, an important reminder of numerous teams’ talent lies in the 2024 competition. The University of Minnesota’s team — known as the Golden Gophers — shocked the dance world with their turns in their jazz routine to Aerosmith’s “Dream On.”
Four dancers in the center of the stage started the sequence in a group while the rest performed other choreography on the sides. The quartet turned nine a la seconde turns while switch-spotting, then the rest of the team joined into formation. All 20 dancers impressed the crowds with their synchronized triple float turn straight into a side aerial, where they immediately continued into another switch-spot sequence. The section ended with a double pirouette as the performers powerfully finished the piece, yet the ten-second string of turns captivated watchers for months to come. Dance troupes aimed to recreate the challenging series, ultimately proving the Gopher’s undeniable talent.
“The Minnesota turns were incredible like they usually are. I did try it with one of my friends at dance and it was difficult but we finally got them down after trying it a couple of times. I think these teams impacted the dance world with their pieces by opening up a new world of tricks, techniques and creativity for the dance community. [The team is] so inspirational and so supportive of each other and I believe it inspires young dancers to push themselves to their full potential and be more sportsmanlike,” magnet sophomore Claire Doucette said.
Ohio State (OSU) Dance Team’s jazz routine
Following a similar vein as the Golden Gophers, OSU’s championship-winning routine absolutely enthralled UDA watchers, who expect the team to live up to last year’s feat.
The piece, set to Frank Sinatra’s “My Way,” showcased the emotional artistry and athletic capabilities of the girls as they soared through the air and underwent various formation changes. The choreography also allowed the dancers to use their costumes in creative ways: fitted in a black vest and pants with a white undershirt and loose red tie, the dancers utilized the ties in their leg turns and even threw off the vest toward the end. The piece included miniature solos that emphasized certain abilities for turns and jumps, showcasing each girl’s individual strength. The team ended up winning the national jazz championship award, beating Minnesota’s fabulous turns.
“Dancing with the Stars” (DWTS) lift
In lieu of DWTS season 33, dance lovers cannot forget football player Danny Amendola and show pro Witney Carson’s astounding lift. On Dedication Night, dancing to “Unsteady (Erich Lee Gravity Remix)” by the X Ambassadors, the pair began their performance with Carson on the ground and Amendola lifting her merely by her leg. The incredible strength this move took from both dancers captivated audiences, inspiring even non-dancers to try the choreography with their friends. Instagram users started a trend of posting failed attempts, and numerous tutorials arose to teach the average person how to perform such a technique-heavy move.
“I liked the move. I thought it was a great way to show what a contemporary routine looks like. I think it gave people an opportunity to try a new unique dance move that no one had tried before,” magnet sophomore Elise Gallant said.
CDK Company on “World of Dance”
“World of Dance,” a dance competition television program that showcases group and individual talent from across the globe, has brought various stars into the spotlight. In particular, the show’s Eindhoven branch aired the CDK Company’s artistic rendition of “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye. CDK Company houses numerous international dancers and locates its headquarters in the Netherlands. Their fascinating choreography appeared uniform and visually pleasing to the eye, along with the color-coordinating business-casual costumes.
The troupe took first place on the show, catapulting their fame. Instagram Reels continuously relived the amazing performance with clips and edits, posted by numerous dance accounts on the app. Dancers and choreographers worldwide praised the group for their impressive artistry and unity, ultimately ingraining the performance in the hearts and minds of countless dance fanatics.
Maya Schonbrun as Queen of the Dryads
Every year, Switzerland hosts the international ballet competition Prix de Lausanne. Almost three years ago in 2022, 17-year-old Maya Schonbrun graced the world with her attendance. Known for her astounding ability to pirouette in pointe shoes, the dancer built up her reputation online.
As Schonbrun flew to Lausanne to take part in the prestigious competition, friends and fellow classmates cheered her on from her studio, Master Ballet Academy in Phoenix, Arizona. After taking part in evaluated classes and performing her contemporary piece, the time came for the ballerina to participate in the classical portion of the week. Shonbrun danced the “Queen of the Dryads” variation from Don Quixote — a ballet adapted from the original novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Her gorgeous lines and fabulous technique constituted a beautiful performance, which eventually allowed Schonbrun to receive one of the seven winner’s spots and land an apprenticeship to the Royal Swedish Ballet, where she still dances as a soloist.
Her performance redefined ballet for teenage girls, as she shows that hard work and dedication can help aspiring dancers reach their dreams. She continues to live as an internet personality and regularly posts dance content for her fans.
While current events such as the “Wicked” movie choreography to the songs “What is this Feeling” and “Dancing Through Life” have risen to trend recently, the five aforementioned occurrences have stood the test of time and remain iconic successes connecting the art of dance to the world. From television shows such as DWTS to ballet inspirations, society has witnessed various feats of talented dancers, ultimately moving dance into mainstream culture.