Commanding attention
CMU dance team captains write their name in history
On a campus that booms with athletics, Central Michigan University’s dance team falls through the cracks. The team fights for the opportunity to be seen as more.
Alyssa Melnik and Alaina Patalon have spent the past year as co-captains, steering the CMU dance team to success on the national stage. With two consecutive national titles under their belts, the captains leave behind notes of resilience, dedication and hopes for the team as they prepare to graduate this May.
Melnik’s journey in dance began at the age of 4, while Patalon’s started at the age of 2. Their paths to becoming captains, however, took distinct turns.
For Melnik, the absence of a high school dance team didn’t deter her dreams; instead, she drew inspiration from collegiate dance programs.
“I would always watch the college dance team nationals because I ... thought the group dances were really cool,” Melnik said. “So, when I applied to Central, I kind of just checked out the social media of the dance team, and I thought it would be fun to be a part of.”
Patalon, on the other hand, found her passion for dance revived after finding out about CMU’s dance team. Coming to campus during her freshman year in 2020, she took the opportunity to try out virtually.
“I honestly had no intention of trying out for dancing here at all,” Patalon said. “I did dance team my senior year of high school … then COVID happened, and I got everything taken from me. I think having it taken away from me so fast made me realize that I wasn’t ready to be done.”
Their freshman year, clouded by the restrictions brought by COVID-19, presented unprecedented challenges. They were not allowed to dance at football and basketball games, and the traditional avenues for team bonding and interaction were eliminated.
As they entered their sophomore year with fewer restrictions, Melnik and Patalon set their sights on the ultimate prize: a national championship. When the opportunity finally arrived their junior year, they took every opportunity to experience their first nationals. The trip came straight from their own funds.
“So, at that time it was new for all of us,” Melnik said. “We were hoping to do well but we weren’t really expecting anything major to come from it. … We were just happy to be there.”
For both girls, it was important to defend their standing title after the adversities faced in previous years. The team spent holiday breaks and the offseason preparing for the big stage.
The sacrifices were immense — two-a-day practices spanning six to eight hours — but the rewards were even greater, and bonds formed through sweat and tears emerged as the backbone of their success.
“Practice ... kills us a little bit,” Melnik said. “It’s a lot but it’s worth it. It’s also a really good time for our team to bond just because it’s so physically and emotionally draining. … It is huge for shaping our team and defining the season.”
Despite their remarkable achievements, recognition as a varsity sport is still not present. In a sports landscape dominated by traditional varsity programs, the CMU Dance Team often finds itself pushed to the sidelines, its accomplishments overshadowed by more mainstream athletics.
“It’s frustrating,” Patalon said. “We don’t get a whole lot of recognition, but ... when we do, it means a lot. At the same time, we know that it could be more. When it comes to other sports and athletics, I mean we’re lucky if we get a post or even just a repost on an Instagram story.”
But the team refuses to be deterred; they see their platform not just as dancers, but as advocates for female equality in sports.
As Melnik and Patalon prepare to pass the torch to future generations, their legacy transcends mere championships; it’s a testament to the resilience, passion and unwavering spirit that defines the CMU Dance Team.
“I feel like in general it’s sad to see women in sports just pushed to the side and unseen as secondary athletes,” Melnik said. “(We hope) that our team knows how capable this program is of continuing this growth and success, and just that they continue to push and advocate for themselves and know their worth.”
As they reflect on their journey, both have ambitions beyond collegiate dance. With their college careers ending this May, they have promising new opportunities for growth and fulfillment; yet their commitment to the CMU Dance Team remains unwavering as the team has forever impacted their lives.
“We have a ton of new faces, and I mean it can be a little discouraging because it’s a new team and you don’t know how everybody’s going to work with each other,” Patalon said. “But we clearly made it work, we brought home two titles.
“So yeah, they got it.”
