Kare11
Minnesota dance team wins 22nd national title, goes viral
Two decades of dynasty. The University of Minnesota’s dance team just won their 22nd nationals title.
MINNESOTA, USA — When someone thinks of dance excellence, all toes point towards the University of Minnesota. The team once again took home a national title in the Pom category, marking their 22nd championship.
“I have honestly never been so proud of [the] team,” longtime head coach, Amanda Gaines said.
However, it’s their jazz routine that took second place that has gone viral on social media, getting millions of views on TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram.
The nearly four-minute routine to “Dream On” by Aerosmith is a nod to the 2004 champion team. Gaines and the dancers choreographed the number that takes technique and skill to a new level unlocking disbelief from people across the country.
“This is bad ass,” wrote Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on X.
Though the jazz routine took home the silver, coach Gaines said highlighting dancers like this will help the entire sport get recognition.
“They are doing this because they are passionate about dance and Minnesota,” Gaines said. “The more people can support these athletes, the better for everyone.”
University of Minnesota Duluth, St. Thomas, St. Johns, Mankato, and University of St. Cloud dance teams in lower divisions made it to finals.
St. Thomas placed fifth in Division 1 Hip Hop Finals and fourth in Division 1 Jazz.
In Open Pom, Mankato State University took first, University of Minnesota Duluth took third, St. Cloud State took fifth and the College of St. Benedict took seventh.
Mankato State University took first, University of Minnesota Duluth took second, St. Cloud State took fourth and the College of St. Benedict took seventh in Open Jazz.
WATCH MORE ON KARE 11+
Download the free KARE 11+ app for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV and other smart TV platforms to watch more from KARE 11 anytime! The KARE 11+ app includes live streams of all of KARE 11’s newscasts. You’ll also find on-demand replays of newscasts; the latest from KARE 11 Investigates, Breaking the News and the Land of 10,000 Stories; exclusive programs like Verify and HeartThreads; and Minnesota sports talk from our partners at Locked On Minnesota.
Watch the latest local news from the Twin Cities and across Minnesota in our YouTube playlist:
Last week, prosecutors charged John Sawchak with attempted 2nd-degree murder and other felony charges after he allegedly shot his neighbor Davis Moturi.
MINNEAPOLIS — Following the shooting between two neighbors, the Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously to request that the city’s auditor conduct an independent investigation into the incidents and cases between Davis Moturi and John Sawchak.
Moturi was allegedly shot by his neighbor, Sawchak, on Wednesday, Oct. 23 but Minneapolis police did not arrest Sawchak until days later.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara defended not arresting Sawchak sooner, calling it a “high-risk” situation. O’Hara later said the victim, who had complained about harassment from Sawchak for months, was failed by police. Sawchak was arrested this past weekend after an hours-long standoff.
Moturi suffered a fractured spine, two broken ribs, and a concussion in the shooting. “Mr. Moturi’s life matters and I’m sorry that for nearly a year, MPD did not treat it like it did,” said Council Member Robin Wonsley in a news release, “Today’s vote affirms that the City Council is committed to taking meaningful actions towards accountability and restoration, starting with this independent review.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey released this statement:
“Mayor Frey fully supports an independent review of this incident. The mayor and City are committed to always doing better, and this means closely examining past actions and finding where there may be ways to improve and grow. The mayor extends his condolences to Davis Moturi, his wife, Caroline, and their family and friends. The safety of our residents is a top priority and any form of violence or hate speech is completely unacceptable and does not align with who we are as a community. Brian O’Hara will continue to be the Minneapolis Police Chief.”
“This Valentine’s Day, 2025, will mark the five-year anniversary of the premiere of ‘Love is Blind,” Vanessa said on the Season 7 finale. “And, it is gonna be the launch of Season 8, which takes place in Minneapolis.”
The episode also revealed three of the new cast members, one of whom, “Alex,” told Lachey Minneapolis is “not like a major city, but it’s also not a small town,” which he said is just one of the obstacles in his way of finding the one.
“I just never found the right person that clicked for me,” he said.
Meantime, you can bone up on Seasons 1-7 streaming now on Netflix.
MINNEAPOLIS — How much do you know about your grandma’s upbringing?
“The Stories From My Grandmother’s Hands” is a book that aims to show young Black children how their grandmas lived through beautiful illustrations and descriptions.
KARE 11 News at Noon shared more on Thursday about the impact that this book will have.
