**Press release**

The USU Eastern Dance Team earned silver medals in both Hip Hop and Jazz at the National Dance Alliance (NDA) College Championship held in Daytona, Florida last week.

In the preliminary round, the team delivered a standout performance in jazz, scoring the highest out of all participating schools.

The team is coached by spirit team director and dance coach Brandi Taylor-Johansen and assistant dance coaches, Taylor Loveland and Tanesha Stout, whose leadership and dedication continue to elevate the program.

Eastern’s dance team includes students from throughout Utah who danced in elite high school dance programs. They spent the past year preparing for the competition that included fundraising, appearing at numerous events as well as learning their competition routines.

This is the ninth year Taylor-Johansen coached the spirit team. Since being on campus, her teams won numerous collegiate awards at the UDA and USA competitions in Los Angeles, California and NDA in Daytona, Florida.

Taylor-Johansen appreciates the thousands of hours her team puts into prepare for the competition as well as all the parents who supported each member of the team.

Lastly, she acknowledges the support of the businesses who help support her teams at national competition.

“I’m so honored to coach such remarkable athletes. Their dedication and commitment to this program and to each other is inspiring. Their work ethic is unmatched, and their bond is unbreakable. Watching them accomplish their goals while remaining humble and grateful is every coach’s dream. I’m overwhelmingly proud of these 15 beautiful young women,” Taylor-Johansen said.