In a normal year, the IU RedStepper Dance Team can be found on the field at Memorial Stadium in their classic red cowboy boots dancing during halftime at a football game. But this year, they weren’t even allowed inside the stadium.

That’s one of the main reasons RedStepper head coach Brookelyn Wood decided to have the team compete for the first time — they missed working toward something.

“That was the biggest thing that talking with the team they missed about the fall season is that usually fall season’s really hard,” Wood said. “And this season was really different, and they missed having something really hard to work for.”

In their first-ever competition, the RedSteppers placed first Sunday in the hip-hop category at the DTU College Classic to claim their first national championship title.

And when all of the team was sitting there watching the results, Wood said it was magical.

“I immediately started crying,” Wood said. “I think everybody was just shocked and so proud. And, words can’t even express the emotion. I think it’s just all the entire season how hard everything was with COVID, plus, working so hard on this competition — it all just made it worth it.”

Junior IU RedStepper Lauren Wilkins said they weren’t expecting it at all because it was the first time they had ever competed. 

“We just wanted to make history, and competing for the first time within RedSteppers is a mark itself,” Wilkins said.

But then they made even bigger history. Wilkins said, however, the best part was still that they all got to be together. 

“It was really fun to be able to see everyone weekly almost daily,” Wilkins said. “And then for it to pay off in the end, which really for us, it was just about being able to be together all the time and whether we got first or second or didn’t place at all, we didn’t really care.”

The team practiced for at least four days every week for almost 10 hours total on their two dance routines. During that time, they not only got to work toward the competition, but it gave them a reason to be around each other.

The best part was that they went into it without any expectations because it was the first time they had ever competed. 

“We just thought, it’s a great way to get our toes in the water, and just get this first-time experience,” Wood said. “And I think we all just wanted a goal to work towards. That was the biggest thing that talking with the team they missed about the fall season is that usually fall season’s really hard.”

But now, the season is over. Wood named a new team of 28 dancers after 127 women auditioned on Saturday.

With one season of competing down — and hopefully a football season coming up in which to perform — IU the RedStepper Dance Team has a lot to look forward to.