The TCU Elite Dance team is trying to raise money to get them to the national competition and create a solid team dynamic that will make them strong competitors.

Coach and founder Megan McDonald graduated last year, making it necessary for Claire Peters, junior interior design major, to take over as coach for the 2013-2014 season.

“This team was a huge part of my life so, it didn’t make sense for it to die out,” said Peters. “It’s a big responsibility…my goal is to create an environment where the girls want to come to practice everyday.”

Peters said that the team's success this year should start with members hanging out with each other outside of practice. This bonding, she said, helps to unify the team.

It's the beginning of the season but Courtney Hulme, junior communication studies and religion double major, already knows that her goal for this team is for them to really get to know one another this season.

The second goal is to have the team raise $18,000 to fund their trip to nationals. It costs around $1,000 per member.

If the team does not raise that amount of money, however, the trip will not be called off.

“We’re going to nationals regardless,” Hulme said. “Whatever we don’t raise, we have to pay [ourselves].”

“Every Friday we will be fundraising through local restaurants- where we will receive portions of the revenue for that day,” said Suzi Mellano, a junior double major in sports broadcasting and habilitation of the deaf and hard of hearing.

Mellano said the team will also be writing letters to family and friends in hopes of getting money to fund their individual trips to Florida.

“At nationals, the team will be competing against the official dance teams of each of the Big 12 schools,” Hulme said. “Hopefully, the showcase in a couple months and nationals in January will bring awareness about Elite to TCU’s campus."