Tradition. Inspiration. Motivation. The LSU Tiger Girls undoubtedly have all three things, but the team agrees that one word is more essential than the others: legacy.
“We are a group of girls who’re empowering each other to achieve more and accomplish more,” senior Tiger Girl Jessie Mirabel said, “just push female empowerment and really get it done.”
“To change the dance scene and start a conversation was more important,” McKenna Dickson, a senior Tiger Girl, said, “and so our mindset was to just to put the best product out while also creating conversation in the dance industry.”
Earlier this month, at the UDA College Nationals, the LSU Tiger Girls recovered their national championship crown in hip-hop. This title was first won in 2010, and some girls believe it marked the beginning of their now-iconic history.
Most Tiger Girl fans recognize the team from 2022’s “Like a Boy” routine, which quickly garnered fame after the team dedicated the dance to LSU’s decision not to allow them to compete in 2021.
The hip-hop routine won first prize and quickly went viral, with people all around the country trying the dance.
Though the squad is happy for the media’s attention, they hope to channel it in one direction. Currently, the NCAA does not recognize dance as a collegiate sport, but the Tiger Girls anticipate that will change in the near future.
“I think the social media attention is just something that’s needed because, not a lot of the times, dance gets recognized as a sport in general,” Mirabel went on to say. “Obviously, it’s a wonderful art form, but I also think it needs to be recognized as a sport.”
While recognizing the sport would formally identify the dancers as collegiate athletes, the team understands that the decision will have a far-reaching influence on the dance community. Recognizing the sport would give the message that women’s athletics deserve recognition for their efforts.
“Yeah, I definitely think it’s bigger than just dance, even bigger than our university,” senior Darah Haidet said. “It’s gone nationwide.”
This year’s success does not mark the end of the Tiger girls’ rule. Kandace Hale, the team’s head coach, believes that this is only the beginning of their long legacy.
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