Grand Valley State University’s Elite Dance club took home multiple wins during their first ever dance competition on Saturday, Jan. 25 at the Dance Force Xpress Winter Wishes Competition in Clarkston, MI. The dancers’ hard work paid off when they swept the collegiate category with their hip-hop performance.
Elite Dance was founded in 2022 for dancers proficient in lyrical, jazz, contemporary and hip-hop movements. President of Elite Dance, Savannah Auito, helped choreograph the winning piece, and said her love for the group has only grown since joining three years ago.
“It was exciting for a lot of us to compete,” Auito said. “Most of us thought we were done competing after high school.”
Elite Dance grants members a fun and relaxed atmosphere while still pushing them to grow their technique at the collegiate level. Bringing the team to a competition was an indication of their growth.
“It was a really fun opportunity to get back out on the floor and be in that competitive atmosphere that we were striving for when creating the club,” Auito added.
Hannah Salembier, the club’s vice president, said she had not competed in almost three years and enjoyed getting back out in a competitive light.
“I’ve been to this competition before when I was in high school, so it was (like) taking a step back in time,” Salembier said. “It was also a good team bonding experience because not everyone (in the club) is from that area (Clarkston).”
Salembier added that the team walked away with a boost of self-confidence and bragging rights after working diligently on the winning routine’s intricate details.
“It was a confidence booster for us,” Salembier said. “It was super exciting (and) a feel good thing.”
Auito agreed, saying it was amazing to be recognized and celebrated for the team’s hard work.
“(There was) a lot of fine-tuning and drilling of sections to make (the dance) look good,” Auito said. “It was a team effort and we all put our best out on the floor.”
Auito and Salembier both hope the team will continue to branch out and enter more competitions in the future, helping to strengthen the dancers’ skills.
“I want to see them (the dancers) continue to have the same drive and love for dance that this team has now,” Auito said. “We’ve grown so much. There were five (dancers) and now we have grown to a team of 23. Seeing everyone loving it and working so hard is really all we wanted.”
She added that the club encourages members to create lifelong friendships through their shared love of dance.
“The transition from high school to college can be hard,” Auito said. “We all know you are giving up a lot of things when you leave high school, so it’s a great way to continue those things you loved.”
Elite Dance club’s next performance will be at a Grand Rapids Gold basketball game on Saturday, Feb. 22.
