University of Minnesota Dance, Cheer teams take home national championships

The University of Minnesota Dance team is the best in the nation — edging out competitor Ohio State by less than a point in the Division 1A pom category at Universal Dance Association College Nationals in Orlando over the weekend.

Pom traditionally showcases precision and athleticism, and Minnesota’s routine was not short on either. A single tumbling pass included a 540 and aerial followed by a backflip — and an entire section of turns with almost no music upped the difficulty factor.

The team performed to a voiceover with lessons from Minnesota’s history as a successful dance program, including the phrase, “Legacy is your foundation.”

It was the 23rd national championship for the Gophers. The team went viral last year performing to Aerosmith’s “Dream On,” the same song that won them their first title in 2004.

With nearly 170,000 Instagram followers, the team’s legacy goes far beyond Minnesota. The U also finished as runner-up in the jazz category.

The University of Minnesota cheer squad also took home a national championship, the team’s first in its history.

Cheerleading squads actually originated at the University of Minnesota in 1898. And the team still uses that original chant: “Ski-U-Mah!”

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