The St. Joseph’s University, New York’s Long Island Campus Dance Team is celebrating a triumphant sixth place victory at the 2025 Universal Dance Association (UDA) College Nationals in Orlando, FL.
Often referred to as the “Superbowl of Dance” in January, the team competed in the open pom and jazz divisions against NCAA Division II and III teams from across the nation.
SJNY finished in sixth place in the open pom finals with a score of 85.8095, topping teams from as far away as California and Wisconsin, as well as more local rivals, Molloy University and Adelphi University.
In open jazz, the St. Joseph’s Dance Team (SJDT) secured one of 12 coveted spots out of 29 teams vying in the semi-finals. SJDT finished 12th overall in the category.
Competing on this big stage is not something the team takes for granted; they put in a great effort during practices to ensure their success. But their practices go beyond just dancing.
The team participated in bonding activities that allowed them to feel more confident in their connection, which is key to a successful routine.
Hard work paid off as the St. Joseph’s Dance Team finished 6th place in open pom finals and 12th in open jazz overall.
“Although practicing is essential for nationals, it is not only about dancing; as a team, we have to make sure our bond is just as strong. We would have team bonding, write letters of motivation to each other, and do check-ins to ensure everyone knows how much we care for each other during the stressful time,” said Olivia Cioffi, a junior at St. Joseph’s and captain of the team.
“To prepare for nationals, we had practice for several hours for the last month leading up to nationals,” said Cioffi. “This time was crucial for us to really prepare and make sure every dancer looks exactly the same in each routine.
Once they arrived in Florida, the pressure was on, but Coaches Kaitlyn Cusimano, Yvonne Compas and Angie Bergano always offered their words of empowerment. “Our coaches focused on the mental aspect of the team and making sure that we were all always on the same page. This factor was very important to make sure that we were pushing ourselves and were not overwhelmed while doing so,” said Cioffi.
Going into their performances, the team was excited to hit the stage, yet nervous about dancing in front of the entire nation.
Since the UDA nationals have gone viral in the social media world, it was not just the people in the live audience watching SJDT— hundreds of thousands of people were watching their every move from home.
“Waiting before going on stage is a feeling that I cannot describe; the best example I can give is an emotional rollercoaster. You can hear the whole arena cheering while other dancers are on stage, and knowing that they will be there to watch you too gives you such an adrenaline rush,” said Cioffi.
Through their team bonding activities, the girls were able to form a connection so strong that once they got out onto the stage they were able to forget the thousands of people watching them and just perform for each other.
“Having teammates that you are so close with makes that feeling of nervousness go away. The team’s energy and passion is so strong that when we are dancing we are dancing for each other and not for the thousands of people watching. It is such a powerful feeling to have that connection right before hitting the stage,” Cioffi added.
After being selected to move forward to the finals, the team was feeling grateful they were selected, but nervous to hit that stage again.
So many things could go wrong in just a two-minute routine that could cost them everything they have been working towards.
The SJDT didn’t allow nervousness to prevent them from giving a stellar performance on a national stage.
“Going into finals for both jazz and pom left the team feeling so grateful and nervous at the same time. We just kept reminding each other that we were picked to move on from semi-finals to finals for a reason,” said Cioffi.
Going into the awards ceremony, the team knew they danced extremely well and were proud of their performance no matter the outcome. Hearing their name in 6th place was the best part of the weekend.
The girls could not have been more excited about their placement, not only did they beat some of the top teams in the nation but they made SJNY history.
“When we heard St. Joseph’s as 6th place, we could not have been more excited,” said Cioffi. “Not only did we move up in placements from prelims, but we also made SJDT history by placing the highest to date.”
