About us

The Northeastern University Dance Team was founded in 2003 by a group of Northeastern students passionate about dance and interested in supporting their school at a higher level. Since then, we have grown to be a spirit team staple in the athletic department. Our styles typically include hip-hop, jazz, and pom, with a strong underpinning of technique in all routines.

The mission of the team is to provide an avenue of performance for experienced dancers at various sporting events, as well regional and nationally recognized competitions. We are dedicated to representing Northeastern University Athletics in a positive and energetic manner. Typically, performances consist of men and women's basketball home games, as well as their respective CAA tournaments in the spring. We have also made appearances at Boston Celtics games and city-wide events. In the spring, we compete in the NDA Collegiate National Championship.

NUDT is an official club sport, however, we practice, compete, and operate similarly to a collegiate varsity team. We practice 3 or 4 days each week, and work hard toward our prospective goals. We are a team of 15-20 girls from all majors, class years, and dance backgrounds. As members, we are committed to dance and the mission of the team.

Questions & Answers

How do I join the NU Dance Team?

To join the team you must attend NUDT auditions, which are held twice a year. Auditions take place once in early September, before the season starts, in April, after the season ends, and in July, for incoming Freshman. You will be asked to perform a series of progressions, leaps, and turns. You will then perform a short combination that the choreographer will teach you in front of the judges. You will be evaluated on your skills and abilities as a dancer. You may or may not be asked to answer questions about yourself. There is no need to prepare your own combination. If you are unable to attend auditions, you may submit a video. Please email us at nudanceteam@gmail.com for more information on video submissions.

Do I have to have experience to be on the team?

The NU Dance Team is comprised of dancers who have had a number of years of previous experience in dance. In tryouts, you will be required to perform a number of leaps, turns and moves that require a dance background and technical training of some degree. Experienced dancers from all levels are encouraged to try out for the team. Tryouts will include hip hop, pom, jazz and technique components.

Who is eligible to audition?

Auditions are open to all full-time undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at Northeastern University. Though the team typically consists of young women, men are also more than welcome to try out.

How often do you practice?

We practice at the Marino Center on campus located on Huntington Ave and in the Cabot Physical Education Center. During the school year, we practice about 6 to 8 hours each week. In addition to practice times, we have a workout regimen of about 10 hours/week.

How big is the team?

The size of the team is usually around 15-20 girls.

Where do you perform?

With Northeastern Athletics, we typically perform at the men and women's basketball team home games. At the end of each basketball season, we accompany the teams to their respective CAA tournaments. The tournaments vary in location each year but are typically held in major cities along the east coast. We have also had performances at various NU events and around Boston, including at the Boston Celtics. During competition season, we've performed at various competitions around New England and the US. We use these various venues to prepare for and compete in the National Dance Alliance Collegiate Championship that is held annually in Daytona Beach.

Besides performing, what else do you do?

We often attend many events around campus! One thing that we enjoy as a team is being featured in many Northeastern University marketing advertisements on social media. When we are not dancing we spend time doing community service events to give back to the Boston community. We are very active in the community and we are always looking for new ways to be involved.