Collegiate dance teams are widely recognized and often very successful in national competitions like the Universal Dance Association (UDA) finals. However, they lack funding and recognition from schools and the broader athletic community. Many universities and colleges do not allocate the same resources to their dance programs as they do to their football, basketball, or even cheerleading teams, even though the training and skill required to perform at the highest level are comparable, if not more demanding. Take the University of Oregon as an example. The Oregon Dance Team has been a staple of excellence, but the team has historically had to fight for funding and resources. Despite their success and the sheer intensity of their training, dance programs at schools like Oregon are often considered extracurricular activities or even clubs, not true athletic teams. This classification limits their access to funding, scholarships, and even professional coaching, which other athletic programs receive in abundance.
Dance requires rigorous physical conditioning, stamina, flexibility, and strength — qualities that are integral to other sports. But unlike football or soccer, dancers don’t often get the same level of institutional support or recognition. It’s not uncommon for dance teams to practice for hours each day, working through the same types of injuries, fatigue, and mental strain that athletes in traditional sports face, yet still be treated as less-than by their schools.
Our very own SHP staff member Matthew “Monte” Montenegro choreographed University of California, Berkeley’s first competition Hip Hop number, which competed in the D1A category. Despite having a wide range of experience with different ages and levels, choreographing for UDA college nationals is a tremendous amount of pressure, especially since many teams hire world renowned choreographers who have also set pieces for “America’s Got Talent,” “World of Dance,” and even the Super Bowl. Monte reflected on his experience, saying, “This year I got to choreograph the Hip Hop piece for the Cal Dance Team. I have been working with them the last 3 seasons and knew that this opportunity to set a piece at UDA was going to be a huge challenge. In the end, it was an amazing experience, working with dancers who display heart, passion and most importantly athleticism at all rehearsals and performances. Recognizing dance as a sport is a hot take for a lot of people, but having worked with both high school, collegiate, and professional dance teams the amount of physical ability and mental ability warrant its standing to take it seriously as a sport. Within the last decade, more and more dancers are taking their cross training as seriously as their technical training. Having to add artistry on top of that and connecting with the audience while maintaining peak physical performance is something unmatched in the world of sport.” Monte was able to see, first hand, the level of athleticism and grace required by these talented dancers and continues to advocate for recognition of the sport.