Averi Wagner has been dancing since she was 2 years old.
So when the College of Saint Benedict sophomore gave the sport up a year ago, it left a huge void.
“Dancing has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember,” said Wagner, a New Prague High School graduate who spent her first year of college at the University of Nebraska before transferring to CSB this past fall.
“Taking a year off from it made me realize how deep my passion really runs. I couldn’t go a day without thinking about it. That showed me I wasn’t ready to be done.”
Which is why Wagner was so excited to join the team at CSB after transferring.
“When I first decided on a college, I didn’t look at any Minnesota schools,” she recalled. “I wanted to go out of state and I wanted a bigger place. Nebraska was in the Big Ten and I liked that atmosphere. When I went on a tour there, I really enjoyed it. But after a few months, I realized it wasn’t for me. It’s a great school, but it never felt like home.
“Over spring break last year, I toured a few other places. When I visited Saint Ben’s, it felt like a community right away. Then I got to know the other girls on the dance team, and they welcomed me with open arms before they even knew who I was. That solidified the decision for me.”
But Wagner had heard a lot about the program even before she first set foot on campus.
“I’ve followed the team on social media and I was always a fan,” she said. “It looked like the girls were having so much fun and it was a really close-knit group. I could see by the results that the coaching staff was amazing and did a good job getting the most out of everyone.
“Now I actually get to be part of that and it’s really exciting.”
CSB head coach Bailey Stark said it’s been great having Wagner around.
“Her growth over the course of this season has been incredible to watch,” Stark said. “Not just in her technique, but in her confidence, leadership and presence on the floor.
“She shows up every single day ready to work, push herself and continue to push her performance and mindset. She is one of the most positive people on the team and she’s always ready to push one step further to help accomplish our goals.”
Next up for Wagner and the Bennies is this weekend’s Universal Dance Association (UDA) National College Championships at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
Competition is set for Friday (Jan. 16) through Sunday (Jan. 17). Wagner and company are scheduled to perform in the jazz prelims at 8:39 a.m. (CST) Friday and the pom prelims at 3:12 p.m. Saturday.
A year ago, CSB finished fifth in both the Open Jazz and Open Pom divisions, and expectations are again running high this time around.
“It’s called the Super Bowl of dance for a reason,” Wagner said. “You’re competing against schools from all over the country and everyone is reaching for the same thing. We want to go down there and give the best performances we can. We’re striving to push the limits of this program.
“Obviously, we want to get the highest place possible. But the main thing is making sure we’re performing at the highest level we can.”
Wagner’s family – father Cory, mother Ashley and two younger sisters – will also be in Orlando to cheer her on.
“Dance has always been a huge part of our family,” Wagner said. “My mom did dance when she was younger, and it was automatically the activity I was put in when I was little to help get some energy out. I tried other things growing up, but nothing else stuck.
“My dad has really gotten into it. When I was in high school, he was our team scorekeeper. He was the guy tabulating and keeping track of everything. He was actually into it even more than my mom, and he’s been really excited to see me dance at the college level. I think his jaw dropped a little when he first saw how talented everyone is.”
That high level of talent will definitely be on display at nationals this weekend.
“We want to walk off that floor knowing we put our absolute best foot forward,” Wagner said. “We’re proud to be going down there to represent this university and we’re proud to wear the CSB on our chests. We’ve been training really hard and we know what we’re capable of. I know there’s going to be a lot of nerves and adrenaline. But we’ve been over our routines so often that we have them down pat.
“Now we just have to go out there and make it happen.”
