UTAH TECH UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE | February 16, 2025

Blaze dance team ready to shine on national stage

Image from the Utah Tech vs. Montana State University football game Aug. 31, 2024. Cora Mark | Sun News Daily

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Last year, the Blaze dance team competed in the USA Dance Nationals and took second place in the hip-hop category. This year, they are aiming for first.

The Blaze have been working hard preparing for the upcoming championship. The competition is Feb. 15-16 in Anaheim, California. There, the team will compete in two different categories: jazz and hip-hop. 

Adi Fairbanks, a junior individualized studies major from Kaysville, has been dancing with the Blaze team for three years.

“We learn two different dances,” Fairbanks said. “We clean two different dances, and we take both to nationals.”

Cleaning a dance refers to practicing the dance until they can perform it perfectly. Before they leave for California, they will make a quick stop with the cheer team at the women’s basketball game at SUU on Feb. 13.

After the game, Fairbanks said: “We are doing a little ‘send-off.’ We’ll do our jazz and our hip-hop performance, we’ll get on the bus and drive to Anaheim that night.”

Then, Fairbanks said the Blaze will practice all day Friday, Saturday and before Sunday when they compete, and then they will come home.

“On a weekly basis we have about a three-hour practice on Monday nights,” Fairbanks said. “On Tuesday mornings we practice for two to three hours depending on the week, Thursdays two to three hours… and Fridays for two to three hours.”

Depending on the upcoming events, they will practice on the weekends, especially with the championship coming up or for the games on the weekends.

On top of this, each member has individualized strength and stamina conditioning outside of practice. During practice they work on their dance routines or cheers for the sidelines at games, as well as parade dances.

The competing teams at the national championship will be judged by a few different criteria:

  • Choreography: includes creativity of the routine, difficulty and just general visual appeal.
  • Execution: includes the accuracy of the moves. This is the timing and the overall accuracy of the techniques.
  • Performance: includes facial expressions, appearance, energy, musicality and confidence.

Kaylee Leishman, a junior nursing major from St. George, has been dancing with the Blaze team for three years.

“I feel pretty confident. We’ve been working really hard, coming in earlier, [and] we’re having extra Saturday practices now,” Leishman said. “Feeling good. Our teams pull through together; we work together so it’s really good.”

Kylie Buttars, a senior integrated studies major from Pasco, Washington, has also been dancing for Blaze for three years. She said over the two categories they are competing in, she prefers to compete in jazz.

“Last year it was hip-hop, but this year it’s jazz for sure,” Buttars said.

At the competition, they are performing two songs. Their hip-hop song this year is “Cry Me a River” by Justin Timberlake. This was Leishman’s favorite song to dance to. The jazz song is called “All That Really Matters” by Illenium and Teddy Swims, and this was Buttars’ favorite song to dance to.

The dancers have been working hard to perform their best in the upcoming national competition for dance. They are determined to give their all.