Homecoming Week with the UConn Dance Team

Hi everyone, Taylor here!

As a member of the UConn Dance Team, one of the most exciting weeks during the fall semester is definitely UConn’s Homecoming Week.  Since the beginning of the summer we have been working hard putting together dance routines for the Annual Lip Sync Competition, Basketball’s First Night celebration, and the Homecoming Football game.  With four performances in three days, Homecoming is definitely a busy, yet rewarding week.

Our week of performances began with the Annual Lip Sync Competition.  During Lip Sync different groups and organizations on campus make up a story related to the Homecoming Football Game, and tell the story by lip syncing to different songs.  This year’s theme for Homecoming week was “Kickin’ It Old School” and each group created a story based off a different 90’s television show.  Even though we did not participate in the lip sync competition, dance team opened up the show with a 90’s themed performance with songs by the Notorious B.I.G.

Next came Basketball’s First Night, which is best described as a massive pep rally held in Gampel Pavilion every fall to celebrate the first day of the season that the Men’s and Women’s basketball teams are officially allowed to begin practice.  As a part of the show the Spirit Pride and Tradition program, which is compiled of the UConn Dance and Cheerleading Teams, performed a collaborative piece to kick off the night.  It was electrifying to perform in front of a capacity crowd at Gampel Pavilion and to help the UConn community get pumped up for the upcoming basketball season.

Paige, one of the other members of the dance team, and I before performing at Basketball's First Night!

Homecoming week culminated with a thrilling UConn Football Game vs. the University of South Florida.  Despite the chill, the stadium was packed and the student section was crazier than ever! As a member of the dance team I get the privilege of standing down on the sidelines and I have to admit, being that close to the action and looking up at the crowded stands never gets old.  During the homecoming game, my team was invited to do a special performance during a time out in the fourth quarter.  This was the first time our team was asked to do this and it really topped off my first homecoming experience as a member of the dance team; and it doesn’t hurt that the Huskies were able to pull off an exciting 16-10 win over the Bulls!

The UConn Dance Team with Jonathan the Husky before the Homecoming Football Game vs. USF

Looking back on it now, my first homecoming week performing with the UConn Dance Team was an experience I will never forget.  However, with basketball season well underway it’s time for the dance team to switch gears a bit.  Over the next few months we will be attending numerous basketball games, learning choreography for the National Dance Team competition in April, and of course cheering on the Huskies!   With homecoming week over, I get a couple seconds to breathe, but then it’s on to the next exciting adventure with the University of Connecticut Dance Team.