Loyola Athletics Supports Dance Team

The Loyola Dance team — part of Loyola’s Spirit Program — keeps the crowd enthusiastic and engaged at basketball games and other student events.  

The criteria to join the dance team includes a need for athleticism, but despite this, athletic organizations, including the NCAA, don’t classify dance as a sport. However, when celebrating National Girls and Women in Sports Day Feb. 5, the @ramblers_dance Instagram account posted a collage of Loyola dancers and cheerleaders. 

“Today, we celebrate the women who paved the way for our sport and the next generation of athletes,” the post’s caption read. 

Even though dance has always been seen as less than other sports nationally, according to second-year exercise science major Ella Drury, Loyola has supported the inclusion of the dance team within the Athletics Department since 1997 and has provided them with the same opportunities as other sports on campus. 

“That barrier is being pushed and that is very validating to be able to say,” Drury said. “To be recognized for doing something that you love and for doing something that you are so dedicated to by the university is so rewarding.”

The official definition of dance is the movement of the body in a rhythmic way, and it’s long been seen as an art form rather than a sport, according to Britannica. However, the copious hours the team commits matches the dedication seen in other collegiate sports and is comparable to the average 20 hours a week other teams practice, according to the NCSA. 

In addition to performing at every home basketball game, the team works for two and a half hours three to four times per week, according to Drury. Those weekly practices are also sometimes added to with additional four to seven hour practices — to either rehearse gameday performances or routines for nationals. 

Second-year biology major Naomi Catalla — who’s been dancing since she was three years old — said dance is both an expression of art and physical athleticism. 

“Not only do we have to have the stamina, the strength and the endurance to get us through the whole thing, we have to show a story,” Catalla said. “We have to show what it means to interpret a song and what it means to us.”

Along with all of the time the team has put in this season, they’ve also had to adapt to the new style of head coach Gina Parenti, who joined Loyola in August. 

Parenti has an extensive background in dance, having grown up competing. She graduated from Marquette University with a dance minor, while participating on their dance team, and has been choreographing routines for the past 10 years, according to Loyola Athletics. 

“She’s really affected our performance in a positive way,” second-year pre-pharmacy major Miabella Lucia said. “She’s come in with high standards, but in the best way possible.” 

In order to reach those standards, there’s been a higher intensity in preparing for nationals compared to game day routines, according to Lucia. 

Whereas gameday performances are designed to engage the audience, Lucia said they’re striving for perfection when it comes to the jazz and pom routines they compete with.

The National Dance Alliance competition takes place in Daytona, Fla. in April and gives collegiate dance teams from all over the nation the opportunity to compete and showcase the skills they’ve honed all season.

“We take so much time learning these routines,” Drury said. “Not only just cleaning them once and being done, but cleaning them in a way that focuses only on dynamics, footwork and facial expressions. There’s so much that goes into it.”

While the spring semester brings a focus on cleaning and perfecting national routines, in the fall semester the team prioritizes practice for game days, according to Catalla.

At basketball games, the dance team can be seen on the sidelines cheering on the Ramblers and amping up the crowd. They also perform during halftime and media timeouts.

“Being that drive for the energy, for the crowd is so important,” Catalla said. “Holding the pride that you have for Loyola walking around campus and seeing all these other athletes and knowing that you’re a part of something greater than yourself is just amazing, and athletics is so supportive.” 

Loyola Athletics has provided the dance team with the same opportunities as other athletes on campus, according to Catalla — whether it’s access to lifts, having their own space during halftime shows or support when attending nationals. Athletics also sends them a supportive video when they go to nationals which involves all head coaches. 

Despite the lack of official recognition, Loyola has always been supportive of the dance team which has meant a lot to the team. 

“Our hard work does deserve to be recognized and we do deserve to be recognized as a sport,” Lucia said.

Dance is starting to be discussed on a national level, as the Universal Dance Association and schools like the University of Minnesota and the Ohio State University have started to bring attention to it with popular dance routines on social media, according to Lucia. 

“I think there’s still a long way to go, but I think that it’s super special to finally have it be recognized on a national stage,” Lucia said.