Imagine attempting to do an intricate dance with a group of dancers at a World Championship. Now imagine trying to do that dance holding on to a pom in each hand, never dropping it, and utilizing it to enhance the visual effect of your routine.

Welcome to the wonderful world of competitive Pom!

It is a style of dance that requires impeccable technique, speed, choreography, and transitions. You can tell that you’re watching a championship Pom routine when the dozens of poms on the stage look as though they’re moving in perfect unison. It’s exciting, it’s entertaining, and it’s one of the most popular forms of team dance.

One of the best aspects of the Pom division is the utilization of creative themes to pull everything together. A perfect example of this is the wedding theme that the Senior Small Pom team from Peak Athletics is putting on this season.

Paying homage to a theme they did when the program won its first-ever national title years ago, Peak brought it back this season and is finding the success they had hoped for, on and off of the stage.

Nicole Graham Landrum, Co-Owner and Dance Team Director at Peak told us “It only seemed right for our Worlds’ coaching staff to bring back the theme this year to celebrate the years and years of beautiful memories they have made dancing together!”

Make sure to keep an eye out for this creative routine and see if they can use it to get their highest placement at Worlds yet!

This year’s Worlds will also mark the comeback story of Starz Dance Academy. After winning Worlds in 2017, injuries kept them just off of the podium in 2018. Kate Sormankiewicz, Owner and Head Coach, remarked, “We had no choice but to start fresh this season. Our returning girls have used the struggles from last year to push themselves harder than ever before.” They, too, are utilizing an airplane theme that they are hoping will help them soar back to the top of the podium in 2019.

Oh, and don’t miss their Open Pom team’s theme, “Bop It” because it’ll have you on your feet and singing along in no time.

In Senior Small Pom, the 2018 gold medal went home to Japan with Cheers Factory. It won’t be a surprise to see them vying for a title any time they are in attendance at The Dance Worlds.

2018 GOLD MEDALISTS: Cheers Factory Japan – Sr Small

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Last year’s silver medalists, Dance Mania, will look to lead a strong contingent of US teams that will be gunning for the gold. Energizers, who pride themselves on being a “classic” in the Pom divisions, according to Sheila Trost, Co-Owner and Coach, will want to use that to their favor to climb to the top of the podium. Last year’s fourth and fifth place finishers, Strut Performing Arts and South Coast Freestyle, will also be hungry to prove they have what it takes to make it on the podium.

Make sure you also mark your schedules to catch 5678! Dance Studio, Dance Unlimited, Foursis Dance Academy, Peak Athletics, and Powerworx Dance, as they are all eyeing a top-five finish as well.

Senior Large Pom was taken over by Champion Legacy last season, and they’re back to try to do it again. They will want to prove that, once again, they have all of the Pom-tastic goods to reign supreme.

2018 GOLD MEDALISTS: Champion Legacy – Sr Large

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2018 silver medalists, Star Performance Centre, will aim for the top spot while defending their podium finish. Wing Dance Promotion, from Japan, finished in third, and are always a force to be reckoned with. Starz Dance Academy, fourth last year, will also bring their powerful and clean lines to the stage to attempt to finish in the medals. 

Not to be outdone, Energizers, Music City Allstars, Power of Dance, and Velocity Dance will also have something to say in the conversation of who takes the top spots in 2019.

Open Pom (ages 14+) will feature a crop of teams that bring exquisite technique and performance maturity to the stage. The reigning champions, Energizers, take their “classic” approach here as well and confidently step into the pursuit of another title.

2018 GOLD MEDALISTS: Energizers - Open

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Placements 2-4 in 2018 were occupied by Wing Dance Promotion (Japan), Golden Hawks (Japan) and Gold Star Cheer and Dance Ltd (Scotland), respectively. A strong international presence is expected in this division once again, and the challenge to the US teams will be formidable. 

Starz Dance Academy, the other US top-five finisher, is also back, and ready to prove that they can come through with a medal this year. Don’t forget about South Coast Freestyle, who is coming in with a lot of confidence and momentum.

Mexico took home two of the top five places in Open Coed Pom last season, highlighted by a terrific gold medal performance by Dance Factory.

2018 GOLD MEDALISTS: Dance Factory – Open Coed

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RS Studio All Star also placed 4^th. It won’t shock anyone if these teams come through with performances to challenge the best in the world once again. 2018 bronze medalist, Strut Performing Arts, will be looking to move up on the podium and claim the title. Velocity Dance, placing fifth last year, will have the goal to get on the podium and solidify their spot there. Adrenaline Allstars will also be attempting to lay claim to a top spot and will be a fantastic contender for the division.

When you think of a competitive dance team, it’s likely that a Pom team is the first thing to come to mind. 

It’s fun, it’s energetic, and it’s so exciting when it’s done at a high level. Make sure you carve out plenty of time on your watch schedules to catch as many Pom teams as you possibly can because there will be a lot of excellent performances to catch. 

The teams are going to turn, kick, leap, and perform their way to the top, and they’ll do it all hoping to take the world into the pom of their hand.

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Written By: Thomas Parrott