Competing against five other schools,The Howard University Bisonette Dance Ensemble and Vizionz Dance Team took second and third place at the First Annual Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Dance Crew competition. The competition took place at University of Maryland Eastern Shore where Howard University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Bowie State University, Lincoln State University and Delaware State University competed for cash prizes.
Taking 1st place was Delaware State University winning $1,000. Performing to music by Trey Songz, Nikki Minaj and Omarion with hip hop dance moves, Vizionz Dance Team placed 3rd and took home $250. Dance Team member and junior psychology major Ashley Marshall said she wishes they would have placed higher but she is glad they placed and that two Howard teams placed.
She said they will continue to compete and do showcases at other schools throughout the school year.
“I think the team just worked really hard, I feel good that both groups were able to bring a portion of the title back to Howard,”said Bisonette team caption and senior accounting major Country Holland. “They [Delaware State] has the entertainment factor that everyone was looking for. They had more stunts and we had more technique so their winning was fair game.”
She continued, “It never gives us an incentive to do anything different, our technique is what we do best and what we are noted for. We always push for perfection and we know what to bring to the table next time.”
Taking 3rd place and winning $500, for the Bisonettes this win was a steppingstone for funding their Universal Dance Association competition in Orlando in January 2010.
According to Bisonette fundraising chair and junior broadcast journalism Ariel Heard, they are the only HBCU to compete in this competition and the trip with 15 girls will be a total of $10,000. “It’s been such a long time since we have been to this competition and this new group of Bisonettes has been working so hard,” Heard said.
As of now excluding the win, the team has raised $300, said Holland. She said the money won from the competition will be used to pay for costumes, flights or hotel rooms. “Other schools aren’t funded the way we are, so we really need to raise the money,” Heard said.
With a deadline for the money at the end of this month, they are doing everything they can to raise money to attend the competition. “We are trying to get on the bandwagon with sponsoring,” Holland said. “We don’t have a lot of time to raise money because we have to practice.”
Some of the fundraisers that the team has planned are selling dinners in Meridian between post Thanksgiving break and finals time, selling candy, and throwing a Christmas party on campus.. She said they also are working on a contract to perform with the Masons on December 11th.
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