Dance team WashU Raas placed third at the Raas Royalty dance competition at Indiana University on Saturday, March 2. This was the team’s first time placing in a competition in four years.

WashU Raas is a nationally competitive Indian dance team. They perform a traditional South Asian dance called Raas, characterized by its intricate steps and upbeat music.

Courtesy of WashU Raas

Dance team WashU Raas poses with their prize after placing third at the Raas Royalty dance competition at Indiana University. WashU Raas placed for the first time in four years of competition. The team also performs on campus as events such as Diwali.

Students can see WashU Raas perform throughout the year on campus in different performances, including Ashoka’s Diwali. At this year’s Diwali, the theme of WashU Raas’ performance was based on the movie “Up.”

WashU Raas performs in competitions during the spring semester. This year, the team will perform in three competitions. The first was Beat of Raas in January in New Jersey, where the team did not place. The team’s next competition, Space City Raas, is this coming weekend in Houston.

“[Raas Royalty] was my first competition ever, and it was really nice to see all the dance teams perform and the energy that was built and the excitement leading up to the performances,” Ritu Trivedi, a freshman on Raas, said. “This was our time to show everyone how much fun we have dancing together as a team.”