University of Minnesota dance team goes viral for ‘badass’ synchronized moves: ‘A masterclass’
You think you can dance like this? Dream On!
The University of Minnesota dance team didn’t only wow judges at the UDA College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championships in Orlando, Fla. last weekend, but The Gophers’ incredibly synchronized jazz routine to Aerosmith’s “Dream On” captured international attention when it went viral online.
“I have honestly never been so proud of [the] team,” longtime head coach Amanda Gaines told local station KARE11 of the team comprised of 24 student-athletes.
After competing in the biggest national college dance competition, the team’s two-minute video scored legions of fans online, garnering millions of views and comments across TikTok, YouTube and Instagram.
“This is badass,” Governor Tim Walz wrote on X while another commenter called it a “master class on dance and performance.”
“I’ve never in my life seen a group this large perform such beautiful and perfectly synchronized turns,” added another. “I didn’t think it was possible.”
Junior team member Kally Hilton told Fox 9 that it required a lot of work to get that impeccable precision.
“To get 20 people to be in sync at the same time, to not only turn but then flip out of the turn and continue rotating at the perfect time and keeping your legs in line and your center in check — it took a lot of practice and a lot to get clean,” Hilton said.
“When we get back on campus and people in class are suddenly knowing who we are, it does kind of take you… by surprise because dance hasn’t always received that kind of recognition,” she added. “So, it does mean a lot.”
“I decided I wanted to be on this team when I was in eighth grade,” senior Kianee Bouavichith told the local station. “So, it’s been a long dream of mine and feels really crazy that like I have finished out my performances with this team and this program.”
While the University of Minnesota is known for its incredible dance team — their website notes it’s the winningest college dance program in the country — Tia Tumbleson, an assistant coach who helped choreograph the performance, said “Dream On” is just “one of those songs I think that resonates with a lot of people.”
“It was totally worth it because we did this creative and innovative thing that people have never heard of,” Tumbleson told local news station KSTP. “Dancers and non-dancers, how hard that is. The love we’ve gotten from everybody, I can hardly speak on it. It’s just been incredible.”
Their impressive routine didn’t win them the trophy, though — the team placed second behind Ohio State, another highly-awarded program, in the jazz category.
However, The Gophers did score first place for their pom routine on Sunday. It marked their 22nd championship since 2003, and the second year in a row they won that category.
Tumbleson said the jazz routine was actually an ode to the 2004 dance team champs who also danced to “Dream On.”
“It was the 20th anniversary. We kind of looked at each other, ‘Is this crazy? Can we do this? How are people going to receive it?’” she said. “So we explained it to our group and seniors and they were like, “Yes, let’s do it.”
Gaines said that the praise does more than just boost the team’s confidence — it helps dancers the recognition they deserve for mastering the rigorous sport.
“They are doing this because they are passionate about dance and Minnesota,” Gaines told KARE11. “The more people can support these athletes, the better for everyone.”