So here’s the thing: I LOVE all the new likes and comments we are getting on our UPA fan page, it’s fantastic to see so much support for teams. We love this, and we love to hear that you love us  But it’s REALLY hard to keep up with all the posts since there are so many.

Here’s my suggestion: comment on our status, answer the questions, add to the discussion tabs. But maybe we can keep the wall posts to a minimum? I don’t know, does that sound fair? Because really, the goal of getting more likes was to get people participating in discussions, share ideas, build team moral and support AND to make new friends on other teams. IDK about you, but I know I love me some new friends.

What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts, or if you have suggestions or other ways to make it easy for me to keep track. I try to tally every day, but let’s be honest, we all get busy and sometimes forget things like this. Right? Tell me it isn’t just me

Do you like UPA? If so, “like” us on Facebook. Why, you ask? Well, we are going to be giving away some awesome prizes to our Facebook friends over the next few months, leading up to AmeriCup. And of course there is going to be a grand prize: FREE REGISTRATION FOR YOUR TEAM TO AMERICUP! You’re probably asking yourself how you can win this awesome prize for your team. Here’s the deal: LIKE us on Facebook. COMMENT and INTERACT with us on a weekly basis. It’s that easy. We’ll enter you in our weekly drawing for some sweet prizes, and in January, we’ll draw the grand prize winner. So, tell your friends, tell your team and coaches, get anyone and everyone to like UPA on Facebook.

Stay tuned for more updates on AmeriCup… there’s going to be some pretty awesome new things happening!

- Lisa Saline, UPA President

So today is my last day at UPA. Bittersweet day. I’m really sad to leave all the awesome ladies that I get to work with and the amazing staff that we have at our events. But I am looking forward to new opportunities and adventures.

Hope to see you at future UPA events, I’m sure I’ll be there working even if I’m no longer the UPA intern

I’ve learned a lot over the last six months of working here at UPA. My alphabet and filing skills have greatly improved and I have become more fluent in social media- but still continue to learn more. My organization skills have been utilized quite a bit (you should see our back storage room, things are labeled and everything!) and I have witnessed first hand all the blood, sweat and tears that go into planning a massive competition.

But here at UPA, there are no tears. We don’t cry here.

Well sometimes. We just don’t let others see it

I’m going to miss coming here every week, doing my morning routine of checking social media sites and writing this blog. I’ll miss seeing everyone in the office and all the random things that happen. But like I said, all good things must come to an end, and there are new opportunities to be had and experienced.

And speaking of new opportunities/experiences, have you checked out our next event? It’s called Eclipse Cup and it’s exclusively for dance studios. If you saw my blog posts and pictures from AmeriCup, you probably saw that we had a Purple Party- and we’re bringing it Eclipse Cup too! Here’s the best part of the weekend competition: ADMISSION IS FREE FOR SPECTATORS! Yep, you read me right. So if you don’t have any plans for the weekend, stop by the Minneapolis Convention Center and check out some sweet dance routines.

I mean all the cool kids will be there

Well, maybe not a smoke signal. Email would be better. Either way, hit me up with them, we want to see you in action!

Nonetheless, we all had a fabulous weekend.  There were so many amazingly talented teams to watch and cheer for and see all their hard work come to life.  I couldn’t believe some of the insane stunting and choreography that I saw, and I was in complete awe of so many teams.

I also made a ton of new bff’s… I’m lookin at you Energizers Dance Team

And you probably saw me all weekend with a monkey under my arm.  That was Oopa, in case you didn’t meet him.  He got to meet a lot of teams and had a great time as well.  He also got outfitted in a UPA tshirt and crystallized- see pictures below.

All in all, AmeriCup was all I expected it to me and more.  I learned a lot, saw some really neat things, met tons of cool people and had a great time.  I’ve had 3 days to recover from it all, and I’m still recovering today- my sleep pattern is kinda thrown off from late nights/early  morning and walking/running all day.

Definitely check out our YouTube channel for a few videos that I took, and our Facebook fan page for tons of pictures.  Of course if you have any of those please send me the links, email [intern@upainc.net] to me or tag UPA on Facebook.  We want to see the competition from your eyes too!

Thanks again to everyone for coming, competing, cheering, crying, laughing, screaming and having a wonderful time.  Can’t wait to see you next year

Either way, I still love to watch them. Just wanted to share that fun fact

There are purple feathers EVERYWHERE. Seriously. The Purple Party obviously had a lot, and we had mountains of beads (see below).

But the city of Minneapolis? They’re gonna start wondering what kind if birds have purple feathers! Saw the following pix on my short jaunt to Caribou (who, BTW, also has an awesome staff).