Team USA |
Team USA Dance
Congratulations to the teams chosen to represent the United States at the 2013 ICU World Championship. The University of Cincinnati will be representing the US in the Pom and Hip Hop divisions and Arizona State University will be representing the United States in the Jazz division. They will be competing at the ICU World Championship in Orlando, FL on April 26 2013.
Get to know the 2013 Team USA Dance Teams:
Hip Hop/Pom Team
Kelsey Hamada: Hip Hop/Pom Team Coach
Jazz Team The Sun Devil Dance Team makes numerous appearances to promote ASU and to give back to our Phoenix Community. We donate our time to charitable organizations such as the Phoenix Children's Hospital, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and the Boys and Girls Club to help support their efforts and raise awareness. Adding another level to the dynamics of the Sun Devil Dance Team, we represent ASU at UDA College Dance Team National Dance Championships. Breaking into the top 5 in jazz in 2010, our first year attending the competition, we set the bar high for our future. Just three years later we earned a 2nd place finish in jazz and 5th place in hip hop in 2013. Representing Team USA Dance at the ICU Championship has always been our dream, and we are honored to perform on behalf of our country. April Hoffman: Jazz Team Coach During and after college, April was a member of the NBA Phoenix Suns Dance Team for four seasons, the AFL Arizona Rattler’s Dance Team for one season, and finally one season as an NBA Los Angeles Laker Girl. April also created and conducted a Pom Program at the Boys and Girls Club Thunderbirds Branch in Scottsdale for 5 years. Recently married, April resides with her husband in Scottsdale, Arizona.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  2009 marked the first year for the ICU World Championship in Orlando, Florida. The selection process consisted of determining which single dance team would represent the United States of America in a competition that involved separate three routines (Jazz, Hip Hop, and Freestyle Cheerdance). With four UDA College National Championship titles in the Division 1A Hip Hop division and a more than stellar record in the Division 1A Jazz, the University of Cincinnati Dance Team became the first ever Team USA Dance. The UC Dance Team head coach of over a decade, Lisa Spears, guided the team to an astonishing victory. Team USA Dance received gold medals in the Jazz, Hip Hop, and Freestyle Cheerdance categories. This "Dream Team" was truly remarkable.
 Once again, Team USA Dance dominated the stage at the 2010 ICU World Championships in Orlando, Florida. The Golden Gopher Dance Team from the University of Minnesota was selected to represent the United States of America after submitting a phenomenal tryout video. The Golden Gophers won the UDA College National Champion five times, and in 2010 they were the first dance team to win both the Jazz and Pom categories within Division 1A. Amber Jackson, the Golden Gopher head coach, steered the talented team in the right direction, winning gold in the Jazz and Freestyle categories and silver in Hip Hop at the ICU World Championship.
2012 was another great year for Team USA Dance. The University of Memphis was selected to represent the United States in the Hip Hop division. They have won 13 National Titles in Hip Hop at UCA's College Nationals. Pace Elite was selected to represent the United States in the Jazz and Pom division. Pace Elite's dance team has been competing for over 20 years. They have competed at Worlds for the past five years and have walked away wining the Jazz division every year. Click here to watch videos from the 2012 ICU Championship! --------- ICU World Championships 2010 Jazz - Gold 2011 Jazz - Gold 2012 Jazz - Gold
Photos Team Members
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The University of Cincinnati Dance Team has proven itself to be among the nation’s elite collegiate dance teams. The team holds 4 national titles in the Division 1A Hip Hop category at the Universal Dance Association College National Championship and has ranked in the top in the top five in the Pom and Jazz categories since 2007. In 2009, the University of Cincinnati Dance Team was selected as Team USA in the inaugural ICU World Championship and took home 3 titles in the Freestyle, Hip Hop and Jazz categories. The team was chosen to represent the USA again in 2011 as Team USA Hip Hop and Pom and earned gold medals in both categories. 
Kelsey Hamada is the current head coach of the 4-time National Champion, University of Cincinnati Dance Team. Kelsey was a captain and 5-year member of the UC Dance Team, winning a National Title in 2009. As a member for Team USA Dance in 2009 and again in 2011, Kelsey earned five ICU World Titles in the Jazz, Hip Hop and Freestyle Cheer-Dance categories. Prior to attending the University of Cincinnati, Kelsey was a member of the nationally ranked Eastern Washington Elite Dance team. She has worked on UDA staff at the high school. elite and college level. Kelsey has traveled internationally to China, Japan and Colombia with UDA, serving as a judge, instructor and ambassador.
As ambassadors of Arizona State University, the Sun Devil Dance Team strives to represent our school, the Valley of the Sun, and the great state of Arizona to the highest degree. Our top priority as a team is the visual unit of the Sun Devil Marching Band, enhance the game day experience on the sidelines, and to be Spirit Leaders for ASU Athletics. Not only do we dance and cheer at all Football and Basketball games, we also bring the action to Wrestling, Gymnastics, Volleyball, and Baseball to name a few. 
April Hoffman is currently the Director and Coach of the Arizona State University Sun Devil Spirit Squad, which is made up of 24 Dance Team, 19 Spirit Leaders, and 7 Sparky’s Crew guys. April received her Bachelor’s Degree in Dance Studies from Arizona State University in 2002. Her dedication and love for her Alma-Mater and the ASU Dance Program led her to create a scholarship fund in memory of her father. The ‘April Morris Dance Production Scholarship’ is currently awarded to one ASU Dance major per semester.
2009 Slideshow
2010 Slideshow
2012 Slideshow
