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Collegiate Dance Teams: What they are and What's happening this summer!

  • Writer: Bailando Sin Fronteras
    Bailando Sin Fronteras
  • May 31
  • 6 min read

Welcome to the first BSF Blog Post where we will break down everything college dance starting with Collegiate Dance Teams! For most RGV dancers, dance teams are everything. Years of early morning practices, competition seasons, Friday night performances it's not just an activity, it's a lifestyle. But for a lot of students, senior year arrives and the question hits: what happens to all of that when high school is over? The answer is more than most people realize.

Austin Hernandez, from Brownsville, TX, at a football game as a part of the University of North Texas Dance Team in Denton, TX
Austin Hernandez, from Brownsville, TX, at a football game as a part of the University of North Texas Dance Team in Denton, TX

What is a collegiate dance team?

If you've ever watched a college football or basketball game and seen a team of dancers performing at halftime or on the sideline, that's them. Collegiate dance teams are performance teams affiliated with college athletics programs. They represent their university, some even compete nationally and train at a serious level.

Here's what a lot of families don't realize: you don't have to major in dance to be on one. Whether your student is planning to study nursing, business, education, or anything else. It's one of the best ways for a dancer to keep doing what they love all the way through college, regardless of their major. Additionally, for many dancers, being a part of collegiate dance team is a stepping stone into professional NFL and NBA teams!


Check out Michelle Maldonado - a Brownsville,TX, native, 4 year member of the Sam Houston Orange Pride Dance Team and now a Veteran of the Houston Texan Cheerleaders.


Understanding the divisions

Collegiate dance teams aren't one-size-fits-all. Similar to college sports, dance programs exist at every level, and knowing the difference helps students and families figure out where to focus.

Division IA and Division I are the largest and most visible programs. Think major universities, big athletic conferences, nationally televised games. Sam Houston State, UT Austin, SFA, and Texas A&M all compete at this level. Highly competitive, high profile, and often what students picture when they think of college dance teams.

Division II programs are at mid-size universities. Still competitive, still traveling and competing nationally but often with a more accessible audition process than the biggest D1 programs.

Division III programs are at smaller colleges with no athletic scholarships, but teams are still competitive and the overall college experience can be a great fit depending on a student's goals.

Junior College programs are two-year college teams and they are one of the most underrated options out there. More on this below.

It is also worth knowing that two separate organizations run national championships for collegiate dance teams: NDA (National Dance Association) and UDA (Universal Dance Association). Many of the top programs across the country, especially outside of Texas, compete through UDA. As students start exploring programs beyond the state, they will see both names come up.

Don't sleep on Junior Colleges

Junior college dance teams are one of the most overlooked pathways in collegiate dance and they deserve serious consideration.

They are legitimate, high-level programs. Junior college teams compete at nationals and consistently produce technically sharp, well-trained dancers. McLennan Community College just swept the 2026 NDA Junior College division, taking first place in both Jazz and Pom. Odessa College took first in Hip Hop in their division and Overall Grand Champion at the same competition.

They can save your family significant money. Two years at a junior college before transferring to a four-year university can mean tens of thousands of dollars in savings on tuition while your student is still dancing, competing, and growing.

They offer scholarships, sometimes full rides. Junior college dance teams are among the most likely programs to offer real athletic scholarships for dancers, including full scholarships that cover tuition and fees. This is rare at the D1 level and nearly nonexistent at D3. At the junior college level, it is real and available.

They are a transfer pathway. Many dancers spend one to two years at a junior college, develop their technique, earn their scholarship, and then transfer to a four-year university sometimes joining a dance team there as well.

If cost is a factor, if a student wants more time to develop before going to a large program, or if you simply want to keep options open junior college belongs on the list.

What the collegiate level looks like

Before diving into the event list, take a few minutes to watch these Texas collegiate teams. This is what the level can look like and it is worth knowing that the collegiate dance world extends well beyond Texas. There are outstanding programs in every region of the country competing through both NDA and UDA. The more students explore, the more opportunities they will find.


Why summer is the moment to start

Here is what separates the students who land spots from the ones who don't: they didn't wait until senior year. They started showing up early: attending clinics, getting in front of coaches, building relationships before the pressure of senior year ever set in.


Summer is when two of the most important types of opportunities open up.

  • Training and recruitment events bring students together from across the region to train in collegiate styles with coaches from multiple programs at once. Great for building skills, gaining exposure, and understanding what different programs are looking for.

  • Individual team clinics are hosted directly by the college team itself. Students train with the actual coach and current team members, visit campus, and get recruited. If a student is serious about a specific program, attending their clinic is the most direct path to getting recruited.

The key takeaway for families: You don't have to have everything figured out to attend. These events are exactly how students figure it out.


RGV students at the Texas College Dance Team Training Day with the Odessa College Head Coach, Belle Gutierrez, in Fall 2025


RGV students at the UT Dallas Power Dancer Recruitment Clinic with Head Coach, Miguel Hernandez, hosted in Brownsville, TX in Jan 2026

How to start preparing right now

Students don't need to wait for a clinic to make progress. Here are three things to do today:

  1. Look up skill requirements for programs of interest. Most college dance team websites list exactly what they look for at auditions: technique levels, styles, specific skill requirements.

  2. Check out the Common College Dance Team Requirements. This is a newer, streamlined recruitment tool used primarily by programs outside of Texas. Similar to a common app, it allows students to submit one standardized application and video to be considered by multiple college teams at once. Worth knowing about and getting familiar with early.

  3. Follow teams on Instagram. This is one of the most practical things a student can do right now. Teams announce clinics, auditions, and recruitment events on their social pages often before they go anywhere else. Following them means never missing an opportunity. For some programs, students can already fill out an interest form to get on a coach's radar as early as junior year. That kind of early contact makes a difference.

Upcoming individual team clinics - 2026

These events are hosted by the college teams themselves. If a program is on your list, attending their clinic is a priority.

Upcoming training and recruitment events - 2026

These multi-program events are great for broad exposure and skill-building across different programs and styles.


 
 

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