The Newberry College Dance Team pose for a picture at a football game. Left to right: Kaela Opsahl, Rachel Jolly, Marisa Rogers, Nevaeh Mazzell, Mattie Grace Yarbrough, India Westry.
Photo by Lauren Alston
NEWBERRY — The Newberry College dance team has been rebranded since the arrival of Lauren Alston, the new head coach. She has taken the once known “Scarlet Poms” and turned it into a national title holding team.
Since arriving in 2019, Alston has made a brand new team, and led them to victory in 2021 at Cheer Ltd. at Canam in Myrtle Beach. Cheer Ltd. Nationals at Canam is a Varsity Brand Company that has been in the cheer industry for over 27 years.
Alston and her team won a national title during her second year at Newberry College.
“It felt like I achieved something that a lot of people could not achieve, and I was proud of my team for working so hard while having fun,” she said.
Her first year as head coach was interrupted by COVID-19, and the season had to be put on pause.
“Right when the results were announced, the team and I celebrated by jumping around and crying tears of joy. All the blood, sweat and tears finally paid off, and we are keeping the momentum while going into our next season,” Alston said.
Before her time at Newberry College, Alston had a long list of achievements.
“I started dancing when I was three years old at Ebony Dance Company in Columbia. After that, I went to dance at Columbia City Jazz. I mentored under Dale Lam, who was the conservatory artistic director. Then I went to be the director of the Columbia City Jazz II which was the preparatory company to get into Columbia City Jazz for a year. I did Carolina Girls when I attended University of South Carolina. I started freelancing at studios teaching and choreographing. Currently, I am coaching here, and judging competitions on my free weekends,” Alston said.
“Everyone always told me I was too young to be doing what I was achieving, and that was great motivation to keep pushing,” the 27-year-old Alston said.
“In the next five years my goals are to get the dance team a studio space to practice, and at least 25 people on team. My short-term goals are to place top three at DTU, and to place first at Spirit Sports (Varsity All Star cheer and dance competition). My other goals are to grow the talent on the team and be able to fundraise more often,” she said.
Her short-term goals will benefit the team she has now, but her long-term goals will provide a positive set up for the years following.
Alston has a long resume and the one aspect that was missing was head coach of a college dance team.
“This is the one thing I hadn’t dipped my feet into yet, and I want to dive into every realm of dance I can before I start my own business,” Alston said.
Nevaeh Mazzell, a 19-year-old sophomore from Lexington, studied dance at South Carolina Dance Company before continuing her dance career at Newberry College.
“Lauren Alston is a tricky person to describe. She is someone you can go to about anything, and she will not leave your side until there is a positive outcome. On the other hand, she demands perfection, and I think that is something the Newberry College dance team needed,” Mazzell said. “Not only will she help with your dancing, she will help you to be the best person you can be.”
Mazzell has been dancing under Alston for two years.
“Winning nationals last year was difficult, my team worked for months only for us to not be able to compete our original dance. We had to relearn a completely new routine and be able to compete it in four weeks,” Mazzell said. “Coach Alston pushed my team and I and made us competition ready in a very short time.”
“Awards were virtual, no one could be on stage while the placements were being announced. We were all huddled in a small hotel room waiting in silence for our results. Coach didn’t even tell us we won. She just started screaming and jumping, and we knew we made her proud,” Mazzell said. “I remember that coach just hugged me, and we were jumping up and down while screaming in each other’s ears. That is my favorite memory of coach.”
This was Mazzell’s first experience winning a national title on a college level.
“My goal for this season is to win both competitions. I think we can do it if everyone works as hard as they did last season,” Mazzell said. “I am excited for everyone to see what the team has been working so hard for these past few months.”
The Newberry College Dance Team will be competing at Spirit Sport in Myrtle Beach on March 26, and at DTU (Dance Team Union) in Orlando, Florida on April 9.
Cayman Duvall is a Newberry College student intern working with The Newberry Observer.