AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University competitive dance team will compete for the first time in school history this week, as the Gyrene dance team will travel to New Orleans for the Battle in the Big Easy, hosted by Xavier University of Louisiana. The competition will include three dual matches, as well as the main competition that includes eight schools on Thursday and Friday.

"We couldn't be prouder of AMU's first-ever competitive dance team," team consultant Abigail Fuller said. "Our dedicated team has been practicing since August and performing at home football and basketball games, and our highly-talented and fierce performers are ready to bring home a win for AMU Athletics."

Incorporating elements of jazz, hip-hop, and pom technique, the dance team will be performing a two-minute routine four times over the course of two days. The performance is evaluated by judges based on the following criteria: difficulty, execution, and uniformity.

On the first day of the competition, the Gyrenes will compete in two dual meets, facing teams from St. Thomas University and Vanguard University out of California. On Friday, the Gyrenes will compete in the main eight-team competition, before wrapping up their stay in the Bayou with a dual meet against Montreat College from North Carolina. 

In addition to the three teams the Gyrenes will face in duals, the Battle also features Aquinas College, Keiser University, Dillard University, and Loyola University New Orleans. The event has two of the top four teams in the nation by current competition scores in No. 3 Montreat and No. 4 Loyola.

Ave Maria athletic director Joe Patterson said the dance team's first competition has been a long time coming, following dozens of performances at University athletic events.

"The dance team's performances have been an integral part to our football and basketball games," Patterson said. "They bring great energy and artistry. I'm really excited that they will now have the opportunity to compete."

Following the Battle in the Big Easy, the Gyrenes will compete next weekend at the NAIA Southeast Region Qualifier, which will determine the teams that head to the NAIA National Championships in Michigan in March. 12 teams will vie for the opportunity to earn the automatic bid to the national championships, where five regional champions and seven at-large selections will vie for the national championship.

Live streaming of the event will be provided by Xavier University of Louisiana, and will be available here.