PASCACK VALLEY—Congratulations to the Pascack Valley Regional Dance Team for placing first place in Small Varsity Pom at the elite Seventh Annual Dance Team Union National Championship.
The story could all but write itself at this point. This is a team well accustomed to winning. Over the past six years its national titles weigh in as:
- 2023 DTU Small Varsity Pom National Champs;
- 2022 DTU Small Varsity Pom National Champs;
- 2021 DTU Virtual Team Performance National Champions;
- 2020 DTU Small Varsity Pom National Champs;
- 2019 DTU Team Performance National Champions; and
- 2018 DTU Small Varsity Pom National Champs and Varsity Team Performance National Champs.
This year’s contest, Feb. 10–12 at the Hyatt Regency Orlando in Orlando, Fla., was, in Dance Team Union’s words, “an epic showdown of the best of the best.”
Each team routine that made it to the final round at nationals received a finalist trophy. All teams earning a National Championship title received a National Champion trophy, National Champion jackets for each team member and coach, National Champion rings for each team member and coach, and a National Champion banner.
DTU said, “We know it’s not just about what is put on the competition floor, but about the journey it takes to get there. We have been lucky enough to follow many teams on their road to nationals and witness the hard work and dedication from not only the dancers and coaches, but also their adoring fans.”
Coach Dena Noone told Pascack Press on Feb. 15, “This year we decided to do a third routine and we decided to do hip-hop. Taking on three routines is a lot but the girls were driven and enthusiastic about doing hip-hop. The girls really clicked as a family this year which made practices very easy. They truly enjoyed each other’s company and working hard to perfection three routines.”
Noone, who said the team went to its first national in 1988 when she was a senior at PV and captain of the team, said, “We decided to go different with our palm routine this year. Our theme was tribal and it was not your typical pom routine. The music was very powerful and the routine was very athletic as well as creatively artistic.”
Elissa Grabow, a team mom, told Pascack Press on Feb. 14, “These athletes beat out incredible teams from across the nation but our girls brought back the championship to New Jersey!”
She said, “Our kids have gone through so much these past few years, and with life being so hard on our children, this dance groups focus, hard work and pure teamwork got it done.”
She added, “They weren’t home scrolling through TikTok” but rather “jumped into teamwork, socialization and exercise. This outlet of dance brought them so much happiness. If only every high school student knew the value of putting those devices down and joining a club or team that gave them purpose and brought happiness into their lives, how great would that be!”
On Feb. 15, Grabow followed up with us specifically to praise the coaching staff: “Dena has run the program from three decades and I have to give accolades to her leadership. As a parent of a student athlete, Dena and Val (our other amazing coach) have created a team environment based on connection, support, dedication and kindness.”