I started dancing this past August at Carnegie Mellon University’s Ballroom Club and fell in love with it immediately. Cheering on my teammates, ogling the pretty dresses, and having a blast on the dance floor; what’s not to love?
This Nationals was only my third competition with the team, and it was in my hometown! Pittsburgh has been my home for nearly all my life, and I was delighted to be able to share my beautiful city with competitors from across the country. I also relished the opportunity to sleep in my own bed at night.
One thing I really enjoyed was having a direct marketplace to exchange costumes. I didn’t wind up purchasing anything, but several of my friends did. It was nice to be able to try on outfits before buying and knowing that the seller is a fellow dancer. It was something I hadn’t seen at the previous two competitions I have been to before, but really appreciated.
Being able to compete both Adult and Collegiate was also a huge bonus! My regular partner graduated, while I am still in college, so this system allowed me to still compete with him while dancing a few Collegiate Styles with other partners. I wound up leading two other dancers from my school who didn’t have leads for Smooth, Latin, and Rhythm. It was my first time ever leading at a competition! I was delighted to be able to dance with my partner while allowing other dancers the opportunity to compete in more styles.
I would like to thank everyone who made this possible, including USA Dance, the scholarship donors, the volunteers, workshop teachers, and all the wonderful dancers. I had a fantastic time and can’t wait for next year!
