The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
It’s only their second season as a team, but the Franklin High School Dance Team has qualified to compete in the Universal Dance Association Nationals in Orlando, Fla, early next year.
The 20-member strong team, led by FHS alumna Caylia Wallace, found out it was going to Orlando on August 17, Wallace said.
“We also now have eight UDA All-Americans that were also named yesterday too from our new team,” she said on August 18.
“Qualifying for nationals was a big deal because usually it takes people a couple seasons before they even reach the height to be able to be in a position to put their team in front of staffers and evaluators,” she said.
“All the team, they were evaluated one by one,” Wallace said. “And there was a certain point system that they had to meet. And that’s how they qualified for nationals.”
The team is no stranger to titles. Last year, the team took third place in the Hip-Hop category at the NJCDCA State Competition for Cheer and Dance, she said.
“That was our first and only competition of the season and we placed in the top three,” Wallace said.
Wallace was on the 2013-14 FHS cheer team that won the regional championship and then went on to the nationals.
“So I felt like this is that all over again, and it’s just kind of a I feel like I picked up where I left off kind of situation, but with a dance team,” Wallace said.
“To do it and within a year as a competition team was was kind of crazy,” she said. “It’s just a reminder of how resilient and persistent I am to get things done and get things done the correct way.”
The team will compete in Orlando from January 31 to February 2, 2025, and will be holding fundraisers in the coming months to help offset the costs for the dancers.
