The UDA College Nationals, otherwise known as the “dance superbowl,” is a fiercely competitive event for collegiate-level dance teams across the country. This competition brings together some of the most talented dancers, choreographers, and coaches in the nation, all eager to witness the impressive athleticism on display. Although this competition has a long-standing history, it has recently begun capturing online attention, resulting in an explosion of interest in recent years. The turning point came when OSU did a jazz piece to “My Way” by Frank Sinatra in 2024 going viral and introducing millions to the world of collegiate dance. The national event has become widely viewed, with 2026’s competition having over 49 million viewers.
This year’s event took place between January 16th-18th in Orlando, Florida, transforming the already magical city into a hub of excitement. During the competition, each dance team must choose to compete in two of three categories: jazz, pom, or hip hop. The participating teams must compete in prelims, aiming to impress and stand out to the judges and viewers to advance to the semi finals. Only the best teams qualify to compete in the final round. The journey to finals involves rigorous discipline, intense critiques, and an abundance of hard work.
Typically, the most anticipated category is jazz. This category involves a range of artistic choices, with some teams choosing to go with the fun, high energy route and others picking highly emotional routines. Historically, Ohio State University has brought home the highly desired title numerous times. However, the University of Minnesota has become its recurring rival. In past years, Minnesota has made the podium multiple times. This year, the team’s final scores were only separated by 3 points. Additionally, MInnesota’s song choice stirred up some controversy, due to their pick reflecting their previous almost-wins. They danced to the song, “Maybe This Time,” by Liza Minnelli, expressing their frustration with their many silver and bronze medals through their powerful piece.
Although Minnesota doesn’t always succeed with jazz, their award-winning pom routines always manage to overcome any competition. The pom category includes precise, high-tempo skills, highlighting their speed, athleticism, and agility. The pom category was a close call this year, with Minnesota receiving a score of 97.4, Texas Tech managing a 97.1, and Ohio State obtaining a 96.4. These extremely close scores emphasize just how meticulous the details of each routine are, with one small mistake being able to affect the overall outcome.
The hip hop category is filled with talent, and the outcome can be slightly less predictable than some of the other divisions. When some hear “hip hop,” they imagine street-style movement seen in music videos, movies, and other platforms. However, UDA-style hip hop incorporates strong, creative pieces that include complex formations and musicality that street-style doesn’t. In recent years, the University of Las Vegas and Louisiana State University have been going head-to-head for the first-place title. This past year, their scores were only separated by 3 tenths of a point. LSU’s nod to their past dance and Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance became relevant on social media, gaining over 6.5 million views on Tik Tok. However, UNLV’s captivating performance seemed to have won over the judges, allowing them to bring home the gold.
Mrs. Rees., who is highly-knowledgeable about Varsity (the company behind UDA), was recently interviewed about some of the controversy around this year’s competition. When asked about any insider news, she said, “It is believed that Varsity is a monopoly and teams who use Varsity’s choreography score higher. Some think this could have been the reasoning behind LSU not receiving first place in hip hop.” With many people upset about LSU’s loss, this reasoning makes sense. However, there are an abundance of people who believe UNLV was well-deserving of their title.
Through analyzing these scores, it became apparent that the 2026 title winners were the exact same as those of 2025. This being said, it’s clear that when teams receive the first-place title, they strive to maintain their position at the top. The countless hours of work and dedication that each dancer must contribute to their team is extremely recognizable in the jaw-dropping routines that each group showcases. Overall, the competition continues to amaze all those who are able to watch the event, creating a new appreciation and excitement for the art as well as the artists.
