Team: College of Charleston Cougarettes
Coach: Patrice Christian
Location: Charleston, SC
Style: Collegiate Dance Team, Hip Hop

The Minnesota State High School Dance Team Tournament was February 15-16th this year, and not too far from us at the Target Center in Minneapolis!

We had the incredible honor of dressing some of the talented teams that competed this year, and boy did they look amazing! From Totino Grace’s Bohemian Rhapsody jazz look to Spring Lake Park’s Mardi Gras high kick rendition, we loved helping these routines come to life with outfits that enveloped their theme!

Check out the some of the teams we were lucky enough to help create their very own #LineUpLook.

Get to know Teresa, who is a Sewing Lead here at The Line Up! 

Starting early on your custom dance costume design can save you time, stress, and money, but one of the main constraints we hear is, "I don't have my team or money yet!" 

No worries, there are ways to get started even without your team assembled or your funds in place for the year. 

You can take advantage of early bird savings by getting started with your design and prototype before you have your team or your full funding. Then, when you have your team and funding secured, you can place your full order.

Get to know Josefina,  who is a Production Lead in Sewing & Finishing here at The Line Up! 

Here we are in the dead of winter, wishing for days of sunshine, blue skies, and barbeques. And while we dream of brighter days ahead, one bright spot this time of year is that we’re in the thick of competition season! One of the four major skating events sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating took place earlier this month: the 2019 Eastern Synchro Skating Sectional Championships were held in Worcester, Massachusetts.

The event featured teams ranging from Preliminary to Open Masters, all hoping to qualify for the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships held February 28th-March 2nd. We were thrilled to outfit a few of the teams at this year’s competition, check them out below!

Team: Chaska High School Dance Team
Coaches: Kris Rydland, Tara Lindemeier, Tracy Standahl, Lindsay Danielson
Location: Chaska, MN
Style: High School Dance Team, Jazz and Kick  

Get to know Joana, who is a Production Lead in Markers & Contractors here at The Line Up! 

Another season is in the books for North Dakota dance teams, culminating in the 2019 NDADD State Dance Competition.  The competition featured teams from around the state doing their best Pom, Jazz, Hip-Hop, and High Kick dances!

For over 30 years, NDADD has showcased dance teams in North Dakota, regularly highlighting the creativity and artistry of this great sport! We were honored to outfit some of the teams at this year's competition; check them out below.  

Congrats on a great season, ladies! 

The Washington Wizards and the Cleveland Cavaliers have a new addition to their entertainment lineup: senior dance teams!  The teams, aptly named Wizdom and Wine & Goldies,  are made up of dancers 50 years of age or older.  Many of the members have had past careers as dancers and auditioned against 50+ of their peers to make the team. 

The Wizards and the Cavaliers join the ranks of the Pelicans, and Golden State Warriors, Bucks, Heat, and Bulls  - all teams that have added senior dance teams in recent years. The new additions have occurred among a trend of more inclusive changes with NBA dance teams.  The Wizards, Raptors, and Spurs have also re-branded their dance teams and now feature co-ed members.  Who says only ladies can dance?! 

Check out some photos and videos from the Wizdom and the Wine & Goldies first performances this season!  

Team: New York Jets Flight Crew
Director & Choreographer: Denise Garvey
Location: New York
Style: Professional NFL Cheerleaders

Get to know Claudia,  a Production Lead in Markers and Cutting here at The Line Up! 

Nike did not disappoint last year with their first year partnership with the NBA, and they’re back at it again with the second year of the City Edition jerseys.   

Photos by Universal Dance Association 

Are you still basking in the glow and excitement of this past weekend, like us?!  Dance and cheer teams from around the country came together this past weekend to compete in the most prestigious collegiate championship of the year - UDA College Nationals.

It's always an amazing source of inspiration, and we're lucky enough to work with some of these incredibly talented dancers. Check out some of the teams we had the honor of dressing for their big day! 

Photos by Tim McConnell Photography. 

The Iowa State Dance and Drill Association Championships were held early last month in Des Moines, Iowa, and we recently got a few photos of the competition from photographer Tim McConnell.   

The Iowa State Competition is very different from many state competitions because there are colleges that compete, co-ed categories, production categories, light show categories, and more, in addition to the traditional dance team categories. So cool to see such a variety in one competition! 

Check out a few of the teams we were lucky to have outfitted for the tournament, below!  

Team: Trail Blazers Stunt Team
Coach:  Andrea Iverson
Location:  Portland, Oregon
Style:  NBA Stunt Team

Team: St. Cloud State University Dance Team
Coach: Susan Uhrich & Brittany Whittaker
Location: St. Cloud, MN
Style: Collegiate Dance Team

Get to know Julie,  a Product Designer here at The Line Up! 

Photos by EmGrace Photography

Team: Prescott High School Dance Team
Coach: Samantha Schoen
Location: Prescott, WI
Style: Danceline

Get to know Miranda, Surface Designer & Sublimation Production Lead here at The Line Up! 

There's nothing better than a fresh box of apparel, and since it only happens a couple times a year, celebrate it! Make the most out of your purchase by opening your box and checking your order right away.  If something isn't quite right, the last thing you want to do is scramble to fix it the day before competition.  Here are five tips for what to do when your dance costumes arrive. 

Our 2019 Dance Costume Collection is here!  To celebrate we've rounded up our absolute favorite looks and paired them with some amazing and talented dancers (aka our models)!  Get inspired and take a peek below!

The day of competition is one of nerves, excitement, and so. much. hairspray.

Throughout the chaos of running your dances, stretching, warming up and doing your makeup, it can be hard to remember to eat. When you do remember, it’s usually something quick, high in carbs and high in sugar.

When you take the time to make healthier food choices around dance competitions, you’ll find that you have more energy for the day and you'll recover quicker. Try some of these healthier swaps and see if your performance, endurance and recovery increase at your next dance competition.

Team: Washington Redskins Cheerleaders
Coach: Stephanie Jojokian
Location: Washington, D.C.
Style: Professional NFL Cheerleaders

Team: RGV Snake Charmers
Director: Amber Uribe
Location: Rio Grand Valley, Texas
Style: NBA G League Professional Dance Team

Team: Hunnies Cheerleaders
Owner/ Coach: Christin Cox
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
Style: Professional

Every year we start designing our latest costume collection by doing a lot of research.  We look at what teams are wearing at competition, what our customers are designing, and the fashion trends on the runway. Despite the diversity, there's always a few clear trends that emerge!  Here's a look at 3 of our favorite dance costume trends for 2019 : 

Team: Brigham Young University Cougarettes
Director/Head Coach: Jodi Maxfield
Location: Provo, Utah
Style: Collegiate Dance Team

Team: Boston University
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Style: Collegiate Dance

Team: St. Thomas More
Director/Head Coach: Nicole Letko
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Style: High Kick

So many dancers and teachers focus on core strength when it comes to turns, balance and stability, but not much attention is paid to the ankles until dancers start pointe or have an injury. Increasing ankle strength is essential when a dancer keeps dropping their heel, hopping in their turns or have a low relevé.

The health of your dancer’s feet and ankles effects the health of their knees, hips and everything else moving upward so I encourage you to take the time to work on these smaller areas as they can greatly improve larger muscles and structures of the body.

Try these three moves to increase ankle strength in your next practice and have your dancers try these at home while brushing their teeth or chatting at the kitchen counter.

Get to know Rozi, our product development saint here at The Line Up! She's one of our oldest employees, since back in the day when we were a 10 person team. She has dabbled in everything from - stitching, cutting, pattern making, production management, finishing to her current roll as a product development support. 

Team: Esprit de Corps
Coaches: Deirdre Driscoll, Dede Wilson, and Erika Hoffman
Location: Lexington, Massachusetts
Style: Synchronized Skating

We caught up with our VIP models Ali and Kate after they wrapped up their whirlwind season of conventions and competitions this summer!  Check out what they had to say about their experience as a Line Up VIP and their busy year full of practices, traveling, modeling, and performances!

Get to know Toni, our administrative & product development support superstar!

Get to know Sara, our extraordinary accountant here at The Line Up!

I get asked a lot as a personal trainer for dancers about hip flexibility and strength. It seems to be an area of concern for coaches and dancers striving for flat splits, high kicks and extended leaps. The biggest issue however isn’t really a lack of flexibility, but a lack of movement in our every day lives. The increased time we spend sitting at work, school, in cars or buses causes our hip muscles to become tighter and shorter. This pulls on our low back and even our hamstrings. With these 5 movements, you’ll see a drastic change in hip flexibility but you can also enjoy some more movement in the back and legs.

Get to know Michelle, one of the product designers for our premier custom design clients!

Team: Hazen Drill Team
Coach: Lindsay Starr
Location: Renton, WA
Style: High School Dance Team - Military

It's that time of year when NBA and NHL playoffs are in full swing, and it's only natural for us to want to root for those teams we helped outfit.  So we were especially excited last week when we heard that the Washington Capitals and the Vegas Golden Knights made it to the Stanley Cup Final - we helped outfit the spirit and ice crew for both teams! 

Choosing the right outfit for your college audition can be tricky - you want to stand out while still adhering to the guidelines of your team's audition. Taking a creative approach when deciding what to wear can go a long way in helping you catch the coaches' eyes and feeling confident at auditions!

While every team's guidelines are different, here are a apparel tips every dancer should consider when choosing an outfit for college dance team auditions! 

Team: Ann Arbor Hockettes
Director/Head Coach: Erin Donovan
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Style: Synchronized Skating Team - Junior 

Timberwolves Dancer photos courtesy of David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images

Team: Timberwolves Dancers
Head Coach: Athenia Williams
Assistant Coaches: Camille Sherman, Gina Hutton, Tracy Schindeldecker
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Style: NBA Dance Team

Team: Branford Dance Team
Head Coach: Jacqui Montano
Location: Branford, CT
Style: High School Dance Team

This post was created by guest bloggers Britt and Jess of ProMotion Dance. These ladies have dancing in their blood - with over 15 years of combined professional dancing experience, they are now small business owners dedicating their time to helping other dancers achieve success with audition prep and choreography services. Read on for their audition advice: the top 3 mistakes to avoid at tryouts!