If you read my earlier article about how I "Consider My Dance Team as My Family", you would know that I enjoy dancing with this team of individuals. That same team, went to a dance competition my freshman year of college. It was the spring semester and we had three dances that we entered into the competition.
There was a jazz number, a lyrical number, a hip-hop number, and another number that was combined with a variety of styles. It was very exciting knowing that we were going to this competition and were even asked to come back the next year! The dance competition was called the Evolve Intercollegiate Dance Competition and it was held at the University of Delaware.
We had been rehearsing nonstop for this competition. It was a stressful time, especially when three out of the four dances we were going to show at our spring menagerie a few weeks later. On March 1, everyone had to get up early and board the coach bus and had by 6:30 a.m. Once everyone was there we left for Delaware, which I assumed wouldn't take very long.
We got to the University of Delaware around nine in the morning. Before the competition actually started, we took two master classes. The contemporary master class was first, and then the hip-hop one was an hour or two later. The master classes were only $5, so it was a good deal.
The contemporary class was entertaining. We had the chance to go across the floor and do stuff in the center with six other colleges. The hip-hop master class was challenging, but it was still fun. After we finished with the master classes, we all split up for lunch before the actual competition started.
We all went to lunch and then met back at the auditorium entrance to go get changed. We shared a dressing room with two other teams. We got changed for our first dance, which was the hip-hop number to Eminem featuring Rihanna's "Monster" and then Fergie's "A Little Party Never Killed Nobody" from "The Great Gatsby" motion picture.
There was a brief intermission and we changed for the last two dances, which were the lyrical and multiple genre number. During the second half of the show, a couple of other teams had used the same song, "A Little Party Never Killed Nobody" and their choreography was something I had ever seen,unless I watched Dance Moms.
You could tell from the other teams that they had someone who choreographed their numbers or maybe their own students did. Either way, the numbers they had were excellent. We performed our last two numbers in their own respected spots and then it was time for awards.
We all changed back into our normal clothes and they announced the awards.
Even though I loved all the dances I had been a part of, after watching the competition I didn't think we were going to win anything. The judges then gave out special awards. The instructor for the hip-hop master class gave our team the "family award". It was a heart-warming speech that he gave us.
The instructor talked about how we as a group were friendly towards the other competitors and how excited we were to be there. But looking back at it and I joke about with my mom all the time, it was the "Thank You for Coming Award" and honestly, I'm glad that we went. It was a great experience.
Before then I never danced competitively, and it really opened my eyes to how dance competitions work. If I could, I'd definitely do it again. Too bad, I'm about to graduate college, unless I would join a dance company after my college years . . . Stay tuned!
