Rayna Reid knows competition. Best recognized for her fierce, athletic dancing and personality-packed solos, the former comp star has recently brought her talents from Alexandria, Virginia, to the University of Minnesota Dance Team. This month, she’ll be competing in her first Universal Dance Association College National Championship. The stakes are high for Reid’s first UDA appearance: All eyes will be on Minnesota as it defends its pom title and aims for first place in jazz after finishing second in 2025.
Dance Spirit caught up with Reid ahead of the event to talk dorm life, learning pom, and what it’s really like to dance on a top team.
How is your first year of college going?
It’s a bit stressful right now, but I’m enjoying it. Being a part of the dance team has helped me a ton. Having a group of people that share the same passion as me makes the transition easier. I’ve made a lot of close friends pretty quickly because of it.
What’s your major?
It’s journalism, but I think I want to change it to psychology.
What’s it like balancing dance team commitments with your classes?
My first semester has been a mix of exciting and overwhelming, but in a good way. It took me a bit to get used to the pace. There’s more independence and a lot more responsibility. I’m still trying to figure out which study habits work best for me, and I feel like I’m getting the hang of it.
How’s the dining hall?
It’s actually not that bad! It’s just the timing. We get done [with practice] around 8:30 or 9 pm, and the dining hall closes at 9, so we have to rush over from practice. But the food is decent. (Kind of.)
Is there anything about being on the U of M Dance Team that has surprised you?
It’s been tricky figuring out how to go from being an independent dancer to a team dancer, but I kind of like worrying about two dances rather than 20, [like I did as a competitive dancer]. It’s been refreshing to focus on those two, trying to incorporate some aspects of solo performance into a group while still blending in.
I’d never done pom before since I came from a competition studio, so learning that—how to make my moves as sharp as possible and sticking and holding them—has been tricky.
Have you found mentorship with any older teammates?
I lean a lot on Matt Greco and Alyssa Jacobs. They are two of my biggest inspirations. It’s nice to see how they handle each step and how I can incorporate that into my dancing, too.
How have you been preparing for UDA?
I have been focusing on staying consistent with my training this season. There’s a recreation facility [close to] where I live, so whenever we don’t have practice, I go there and work on pom and jazz technique. I’m trying to make sure everything looks intentional and identical to the whole team. I’m also trying to better my stamina since college practices can be more intense. I’ve been working on keeping my teammates and myself hype for the parts of the dance that are very hard-hitting and tiring.
The school offers a sports psychologist for the dance team. I see her every other week, just to debrief and talk about school and life. Being homesick has been a big topic. After every session I have with her, I feel so much more relaxed and have a weight taken off my shoulders.
What are you most looking forward to at UDA?
I’m excited to see the other teams and friends from different schools. I’m also excited for everyone to see our routines because we’ve been working so hard. I’m not worried about what anyone says. I just want us to be proud of ourselves.
If I came off the stage knowing that I left it all out there and did what I had to do for my team, that would make me the happiest.
The hype surrounding this year’s event is ramping up. How does it feel to be part of a high-profile team?
I’m still trying to process that I’m on the U of M Dance Team! It’s hard for me to realize even when I’m in practice—I’m like, “Wait, this is the team that I was watching on TikTok a year ago.” I’m excited to be a part of something so big. I’m just trying to relax and be here for my team. I want to do my best and not really worry about what social media has to say.
What can fans look forward to about this year’s performance?
“Intense” is the word that we’ve been using. When people watch it, they’re gonna be like, “Whoa, this is Minnesota.” We’re not something you can glance over. You want to keep watching. Our team is so unique—we all have different strengths, and when we come together it’s like something I’ve never seen before. I’m so grateful to be a part of this team because everyone wants it so badly.
