Howard University Ooh La La! Dance Line
It’s official, the Howard University Ooh La La! dance line reigns supreme, winning the second annual HBCU Dance #RadiantDanceOff Contest presented by The Radiant Collection from Procter & Gamble’s (P&G) leading feminine protection brands Tampax® and Always®, in partnership with HBCU Dance Corporation, Inc. This year, the Ooh La La! dance line competed against 19 HBCU schools nationwide in the #RadiantDanceOff to win $20,000 and custom uniforms created by Briana Bigham, a seasoned designer who has worked with some of the most popular labels in fashion.
“HBCU dancers are some of the hardest working women on the yard, and they give their all in every performance. Their skill and on-the-field radiance shined in every #RadiantDanceOff submission we received so choosing just one winning team was a huge challenge,” says Keelia Brown, founder of HBCU Dance Corporation, Inc. “The #RadiantDanceOff competition shines a light on the confidence and talent of the amazing women on the teams, and the prize from The Tampax and Always Radiant Collection will help them keep dancing.”
This was the second annual #RadiantDanceOff contest, a national online dance competition designed exclusively for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Created in 2017, the contest was designed to change the fact that African-American women avoid activities like dancing, and even compromise their style during their periods1. The contest highlights the bold moves and fierce styles worn by HBCU dance lines to show women everywhere that they can wear and do whatever they want with confidence, any day of the month, and showcases the incredible skill of majorettes across the country.
This homecoming season, eligible HBCU dance teams competed to earn one of the top five spots in the #RadiantDanceOff competition. As per last year’s program, eligible teams entered by submitting a two-minute video that was voted on by fans, alumni and students, along with a short essay highlighting why their team runs the yard. A panel then judged the five dance teams with the highest number of votes on:
- Difficulty of dance steps, cohesiveness and technical proficiency
- Originality of dance performance
- Creative execution of wardrobe selection
- Ability to convey character and expression in the dance
- Essay submission
