All throughout the basketball season, four groups have been there at every game to cheer on the NYU men and women’s teams. The Cheerleaders cheer from the sides and stunt during the timeouts while the Pep Band plays. The Dance Team performs at half time and the Bobcat works the crowd. While these teams spend the majority of their season supporting the Violets and entertaining fans, their time in the main spotlight is fast approaching.
On April 10, the NYU Cheerleaders and Dance Team will travel to Daytona, FL to compete in the NCA/NDA National Collegiate Championship. As Division 3 competitors, the teams will perform in preliminaries at the Ocean Center and the Peabody Auditorium and hopefully will advance to finals at the Daytona Beach Bandshell where they can compete for the coveted first place trophy.
Before the teams board a plane to Florida, they will present their routines to their friends and family at the NYU Nationals Showcase on April 7 at Coles Sports & Recreation Center. The showcase will also feature the Pep Band and the Bobcat as the groups provide a recap of the entertainment they have provided throughout the basketball season.
Gail Stentiford, the Assistant Director for Recreation and Club Sports, organized the event, which begins at 4 p.m. on the Sunday afternoon. Stentiford also organizes the teams’ travel and participation in NCA/NDA events and will accompany the teams to the competition.
Chelsea Dawkins, a co-captain of the Cheerleading Squad, said, “Showcase allows us to show that both teams are made up of competitive athletes who can do more than what is usually seen at a basketball game.” Since the teams are only seen in the context of a game for the majority of the year, “I think it is only right that people get to see the other side of our sports.”
“The nationals showcase is great because NYU school spirit really shines through,” said Gabriella Scalzo, a co-captain of the Dance Team. “We love to show our routines to the NYU community first.”
NYU collegiettes should be sure to make it to Coles on April 7 to support the groups that have entertained them at every home basketball game including both Tear It Ups. The event will take place on the main gym floor and will last for approximately 45-50 minutes.
Photos:
Photo 1
Photo 2: Gabriella Scalzo
Photo 3: Alyssa Dvorak