ISU Bengal Dancers take second at National Dance Alliance Championship

The Idaho State University Bengal Dancers recently finished second at the 2007 National Dance Alliance (NDA) Collegiate Championship held this month in Daytona Beach, Fla.

It was the third consecutive year the Bengal Dancers have placed second at this championship. Earlier this year the Bengal Dancer took home the United Spirit Association (USA) National Hip Hop Championship.

The other half of the ISU Spirit Squad, the ISU Cheerleaders, finished 11th at the 2007 National Cheerleading (NCA) Association Collegiate Championship also held in Daytona Beach at the same time. It was the first time the ISU cheerleaders competed at the NCA Collegiate Championship in Florida.

The  Bengal Dancers, on the other hand, have been attending the NDA Championship since 1999. Their two-minute, 12-second routine included jazz, pom, and hip-hop styles, according to Hilary Hofmaier, Spirit Squad director. There were 19 teams competing in NDA Division I Dance, 11 of which advanced to finals following the preliminary round and the Challenge Cup. Following the preliminary round the Bengal Dancers were in second place with at 9.04 behind Towson University with a 9.13. The Bengal Dancers then finished in second place with at 9.10 behind Towson University with at 9.21 in the finals. The ISU Bengal Dancers had the second highest score throughout all three-dance divisions at finals, outscoring Division IA Champions BYU and University of Louisville (tie) and Division II Champions Hawaii Pacific University. The Bengal Dancers are coached by Hofmaier and assisted by Lindsay Tucker.  

Tryouts for the 2007-2008 ISU Bengal Dancers are set for Saturday, April 21, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Room 208, the dance room, of Reed Gymnasium. For more information on tryouts call 282-4547 or e-mail hofmhil@isu.edu. Tryout information is also posted at www.isuspiritsquad.com.

The ISU Cheerleaders’ routine included a 45-second cheer and a two-minute and 13-second routine comprised of jumps, stunts, tumbling and dancing. There were 17 teams competing in NCA Division I Small Coed category. Nine of those teams advanced to finals following the preliminary round. ISU received a score of 7.38 in the preliminary round of the competition sending them to the Challenge Cup. The Challenge Cup gives teams who did not

make it to finals during the preliminary round an opportunity to compete a second time. The winner of the Challenge Cup then advances to finals.  Competing against ISU in the Challenge Cup were Northern Illinois University, Radford University, University of Maine, Georgia State University, Southern Methodist University, University of Maryland and California State University Long Beach. The ISU cheerleaders finished second in the Challenge Cup with a score of 8.22 behind SMU, who received a 8.42 and Long Beach finished third with a score of 8.16. The ISU cheerleaders missed making the finals, but finished 11th in their division overall.

The ISU Cheerleaders are coached Nicole Clifford. Tryouts for the 2007-2008 ISU Cheerleaders are set for Saturday, April 28, from 9a.m. to 6 p.m. in Room 101 of Reed Gym. For more information on tryouts contact Hofmaier, at 282-4547 or hofmhil@isu.edu. Tryout information is also posted at www.isuspiritsquad.com.