West Virginia Wesleyan Athletics adds competitive dance team

News Release
January 5, 2021

BUCKHANNON, W. Va. – The West Virginia Wesleyan College Athletics Department announced the addition of the competitive dance team today.

“We are excited about adding the competitive dance team to our athletic department,” Athletic Director Randy Tenney said. “We are thrilled to offer our students this unique opportunity to dance competitively as part of their high-quality educational experience at Wesleyan.”

Veteran dance coach Lesa Dencklau has been tapped to lead the team.

“I’m excited to be able to build the competitive dance team at West Virginia Wesleyan,” Dencklau said. “It is my passion to work with student-athletes at this level. My goal will be to provide these dancers not only the experience of competition, but also the importance of performances that will support athletics on campus.”

Collegiate dance teams feature three different styles that the team will focus on including pom, jazz and hip-hop. The dance team will participate in competitions. Dencklau will recruit both current and prospective students who are well-rounded dancers.

No stranger to building programs, Dencklau started the Missouri Valley College dance team in 2018. Prior to that, she spent two different stints as the Iowa Central Community College dance coach from 2006-1 and 2015-18. While the head coach at Iowa Central she consistently led her team to the National Dance Alliance national championships in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Dencklau also served as the head coach of the Dodge City Community College dance team from 2014-15 where she guided her squad to their first ever regional and national titles. The Drake University alumna has experience in studio training and as a freelance choreographer with numerous awards to show for it. Dencklau has mentored athletes that went on to be cheerleaders for National Football League teams, such as the Kansas City Chiefs.

Although not an NCAA affiliated sport, competitive dance is growing and prevalent on college campuses. For more information and to learn how to get involved, please check wesleyanbobcats.com.