Wake Forest Athletics
Dazzling Deacs Achieve National Acclaim Following Standout Year
5/12/2022 8:00:00 AM | General
Wake Forest’s spirit squads have been transformed under director Christy Creson.
After advancing to the finals at the NDA Collegiate Cheer and Dance Championships at Daytona Beach in April, the Dazzling Deacs are eager to return next year with an even stronger finish.
"As a team, they really saw where they wanted to be next year," Wake Forest Director of Spirit Programs and Events Christy Creson said. "It gave them an extra boost seeing all these teams from across the country compete. They see where they are and think that's where they want to be next year.
"They're ready and willing to put in the work to get there. On the bus ride home, everyone was just so excited about next year."
For the Dazzling Deacs, the newly-branded dance team for Wake Forest, it was the best finish in a national competition on record.
"The belief is no other Wake Forest dance team has ever made finals in the nationals," Creson said. "We are the first. But we haven't been able to dig before 1999, to be definitely sure."
Creson was co-chair this year of an event coordinated within the ACC for a virtual cheer and dance team competition, and the dance team already had a routine cooked up for that event. When a generous supporter of the program offered in January to send the Dazzling Deacs to the NDA competition in Florida, they honed in on that routine.
"For us, being a new program, we felt like it was a huge accomplishment for our team to make the finals," Creson said. "That was our goal. Clemson did not make it to the finals and they had accomplished that in each of the last eight-to-ten years. That's how tough this division is."
Aside from the incredible accomplishment of reaching the finals, the team also had a fantastic bonding experience and were able to goal-set for the coming year.
"They just really came together and realized how amazing it is to have something for themselves," Creson said. "Our main goal is to provide cheer and dance services for five teams on campus. They work so hard. Which made it so special."
A collegiate coach for 15 years now, Creson got the position at Wake Forest after more than 13 years at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, N.C.
"I've always loved the area," Creson explained. "I found out that Wake Forest was looking for a director of spirit programs and events and applied."
The cheer and dance team appears at Wake Forest men's basketball, women's basketball, baseball, football and volleyball games; meaning their season wraps around through both the fall and spring semesters.
"The biggest thing I wanted to bring to do was develop a full program," Creson said. "I just didn't want to cheer and dance on the sidelines and call it a day. We wanted an actual program that focused on skills and performance. And then we worked directly with the Athletics leadership and the vision of what they wanted to see on the sidelines. We wanted to improve the game day experience and wanted to grow our program to become competitive with other schools at this level."
The dance team name of "Dazzling Deacs" was concocted alongside then-associate athletic director, Rhett Hobart.
"I wanted them to know they are separate programs," Creson said. "I worked with Rhett and came up with the name Dazzling Deacs. You want something that is your identity. We wanted something that fit their personalities, but also meshed with the Wake Forest brand."
And while Creson was intent on having the cheer team as an entity of their own, it's the fan experience piece that was top of mind for everyone.
"We cheer to zero, because no matter the score, our job is to create an experience for the fans on game day," she said. "The gameday fan experience is something that was important to me, and Athletics leadership wanted to create a new vision of that here at Wake Forest, and provide a vibrant atmosphere for the fans.
"All of the skill and talent was already here at Wake Forest. It was just re-envisioning how things looked on gameday, how our practices were structured and what our focus was."
Making the finals was the perfect way to end the year for the Dazzling Deacs.
"We can go back next year," she said. "I'd also love to see cheer go one day. It's an incredible way to end your season and showcase all the work you've done since August. Additionally, they not only are these amazing and talented dancers, but they are incredibly smart and great students. They do so much and work so hard. I'm glad they got an accomplishment that was their own."
"As a team, they really saw where they wanted to be next year," Wake Forest Director of Spirit Programs and Events Christy Creson said. "It gave them an extra boost seeing all these teams from across the country compete. They see where they are and think that's where they want to be next year.
"They're ready and willing to put in the work to get there. On the bus ride home, everyone was just so excited about next year."
For the Dazzling Deacs, the newly-branded dance team for Wake Forest, it was the best finish in a national competition on record.
"The belief is no other Wake Forest dance team has ever made finals in the nationals," Creson said. "We are the first. But we haven't been able to dig before 1999, to be definitely sure."
Creson was co-chair this year of an event coordinated within the ACC for a virtual cheer and dance team competition, and the dance team already had a routine cooked up for that event. When a generous supporter of the program offered in January to send the Dazzling Deacs to the NDA competition in Florida, they honed in on that routine.
"For us, being a new program, we felt like it was a huge accomplishment for our team to make the finals," Creson said. "That was our goal. Clemson did not make it to the finals and they had accomplished that in each of the last eight-to-ten years. That's how tough this division is."
Aside from the incredible accomplishment of reaching the finals, the team also had a fantastic bonding experience and were able to goal-set for the coming year.
"They just really came together and realized how amazing it is to have something for themselves," Creson said. "Our main goal is to provide cheer and dance services for five teams on campus. They work so hard. Which made it so special."
A collegiate coach for 15 years now, Creson got the position at Wake Forest after more than 13 years at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, N.C.
"I've always loved the area," Creson explained. "I found out that Wake Forest was looking for a director of spirit programs and events and applied."
The cheer and dance team appears at Wake Forest men's basketball, women's basketball, baseball, football and volleyball games; meaning their season wraps around through both the fall and spring semesters.
"The biggest thing I wanted to bring to do was develop a full program," Creson said. "I just didn't want to cheer and dance on the sidelines and call it a day. We wanted an actual program that focused on skills and performance. And then we worked directly with the Athletics leadership and the vision of what they wanted to see on the sidelines. We wanted to improve the game day experience and wanted to grow our program to become competitive with other schools at this level."
The dance team name of "Dazzling Deacs" was concocted alongside then-associate athletic director, Rhett Hobart.
"I wanted them to know they are separate programs," Creson said. "I worked with Rhett and came up with the name Dazzling Deacs. You want something that is your identity. We wanted something that fit their personalities, but also meshed with the Wake Forest brand."
And while Creson was intent on having the cheer team as an entity of their own, it's the fan experience piece that was top of mind for everyone.
"We cheer to zero, because no matter the score, our job is to create an experience for the fans on game day," she said. "The gameday fan experience is something that was important to me, and Athletics leadership wanted to create a new vision of that here at Wake Forest, and provide a vibrant atmosphere for the fans.
"All of the skill and talent was already here at Wake Forest. It was just re-envisioning how things looked on gameday, how our practices were structured and what our focus was."
Making the finals was the perfect way to end the year for the Dazzling Deacs.
"We can go back next year," she said. "I'd also love to see cheer go one day. It's an incredible way to end your season and showcase all the work you've done since August. Additionally, they not only are these amazing and talented dancers, but they are incredibly smart and great students. They do so much and work so hard. I'm glad they got an accomplishment that was their own."
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