Watch the Incredible, Nationals-Winning LSU Dance Team Routine That's Going Viral
LSU tiger girls/ instagram
The Louisiana State University (LSU) Tiger Girls dance team earned the top spot at the 2022 Universal Dance Association College Nationals competition and their award-winning performance has gone viral on social media.
Earlier this month, the Tiger Girls nabbed first place in the D1A Hip Hop competition, which was held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida, according to NBC Sports.
For the first time in over a decade, the ladies brought home the championship title with a near-perfect score for their powerful performance set to Ciara's "Like a Boy," after being unable to compete in last year's nationals due to resources.
"After 12 years, we are incredibly proud to be bringing the hip hop championship title back to Baton Rouge," the team wrote in an Instagram post last week, alongside a video capturing their championship routine. "Today, we represented the [sic] ourselves, our school, and every woman before us who has helped pave our path to success. We are BURSTING with gratitude & love from all of the support we have received this weekend 💜."
The team added, "The love we experienced today is something that can never be forgotten. Here's to history 🏆 #TGUNIT #GOODJOBTGS #👏🏼👏🏽👏🏾👏🏿."
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According to NBC Sports, the all-girls dance team was reportedly told they couldn't compete the year prior due to the "many constraints of COVID-19," despite being permitted to perform at other school and athletic events.
But, in a 2021 Change.org petition that garnered over 27,000 signatures, the team said it was due to a "lack of athletic trainers available for our competition season." LSU has not immediately responded to PEOPLE's request for comment regarding the team not participating in the 2021 competition.
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Pauline Zernott, LSU Spirit Director, told the LSU Reveille that this year's squad was "more hungry" for the title after missing out on their chance in 2021.
" 'Like a Boy' was curated and choreographed specifically for this team and all other female athletes who have been neglected in relation to their male counterparts," Tiger Girls Assistant Coach Payton Ibos told the university outlet.
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Ibos added, "Our choreographers, Carson Rowe and Sammy McFadden, were passionate about creating this routine for the positive message behind the empowerment of the female athletes in the dance industry, as well as for the recognition of dance as a collegiate sport with deserving student-athletes."
The Tiger Girls' coach Kandace Hale also said "you will not find another team like this one" of the group in a release from the university. "They are not only talented, but they are humble, hard working and genuine young women. These ladies are the most deserving group and we are all so proud of their hard work."
In addition to taking the top spot for their empowering hip hop number, the highly decorated dance team also placed eighth in the Jazz division.
