In this episode of No Counts Given, Kyle Rush sits down with Travis Lake, a trailblazing choreographer known for his work with programs like BYU, University of Minnesota, and Dance Mania All Stars, for an honest conversation about creativity, competition, and challenging the rules of the dance team industry.

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Travis opens up about the routines, risks, and creative choices that helped shape his career, while also sharing the personal and professional challenges that come with pushing boundaries in a highly regulated competitive space.

This episode dives into what it really means to challenge the status quo without losing sight of excellence, clarity, and purpose. Travis shares insight into the creative process, the emotional cost of chasing greatness, and why some of the biggest breakthroughs come from refusing to play it safe.

Chapters:

00:00 - Intro + Thank You Dance Team Union
00:43 - Growing Up in Utah: Religion, Identity & Early Challenges
07:43 - Travis’ BYU Journey + Being Ghosted by a Top Dance Program
21:37 - AD: Dance Team Union | A Coach’s Perspective
24:22 - Underpaid in the Industry, Even at the Top Level
27:33 - Reaching the Childhood Dream: Working with Minnesota
46:37 - Thank You, Travis
47:11 - AD: The Rankings by Dance Team Union
48:13 - How Music Rule Changes Shifted the Dance Team Industry
50:42 - Hitting Rock Bottom: Travis Opens Up
56:21 - Dance Mania: Setting a New Standard in All Star Dance
1:03:51 - Getting Fired from Dance Mania
1:11:03 - Sam Houston: Teaching and Choreographing for the Dance Team
1:20:05 - Travis’ Advice for Choreographers

Tags:

nationals season, road to nationals, dance team analysis, judges perspective, dance breakdowns, competitive dance talk, elite dance training, performance quality, intentional choreography, dance team culture, college dance insights, high school dance teams, all-star dance training, pom technique, hip hop judging, dance education, behind the scores, dance media commentary

Thank you for supporting No Counts Given this past year. I appreciate every single one of you that tune in weekly. I hope you enjoy this 2 hour ONE YEAR B-DAY episode.

We couldn’t do this without our sponsors, thank you.

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Today on the show, I’m breaking down IDL Sydney and sharing my overall predictions for how this series stop could play out.

We’re also diving into a few Blind Items, including some advice submissions that definitely need to be unpacked. Then, I’m sitting down with Ashley and Courtney Frato of The Source Dance Lab for an honest conversation about transparency and the ongoing questions surrounding USASF Dance Worlds.

Later in the episode, T.J. Maple from Stephen F. Austin State University joins us to talk about major developments in SFA’s season, including their decision to attend both UDA College Nationals and NDA College Nationals.

To close out the show, I’m sharing my Top 10 routines from the 2025-2026 season.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro: We Have A Packed Show
06:59 Ad: The Rankings by Dance Team Union
08:00 IDL Sydney Breakdown & My Official Predictions
19:45 Blind Items: Advice, Drama & Real Talk
37:09 DTU Ad: Hear It From The Coaches
39:47 The Source Dance Lab Speaks Out on USASF Transparency
1:41:26 Breaking Down SFA’s Move To Both UDA & NDA Nationals
1:45:51 Ad: Road To Nationals by Dance Team Union
1:46:24 T.J. Maple Talks SFA Doubling Down This Season
2:00:36 My Top 10 Routines From The 2025-2026 Season
2:04:04 June Schedule, Final Thoughts & Outro

The divisions everyone’s watching? Yeah… we’re breaking it ALL the way down.

In this episode of No Counts Given, we’re diving into the DII, DI Small, and DI Large divisions from The College Classic… where the margins are tight, the pressure is real, and every single detail matters. This is where titles are earned… and where the conversation gets LOUD.

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Dance Team Supply | www.danceteamsupply.com

Follow No Counts Given on all social media platforms @nocountsgiven and follow our host, Kyle Rush, on all platforms @itskylerush

Plus, we’re going straight to the source with exclusive interviews from the coaches behind the programs making waves:

Saginaw Valley State University Dance Team
University of Tampa Dance
Lamar University