In addition to being a Dance Major here at The Ohio State University, I have had the immense honor of dancing on The Ohio State University Dance Team (Ohio State Athletics). Aside from keeping me busy, this “double-dance opportunity” has helped to shape both my artistry and style in ways that I never would have expected. In taking technique classes through my major and increasing my performance opportunities through the team, I have been able to study both foundational movement practices while also delving into the commercial side of the dance world. As someone who is largely interested in the commercial dance field, this has helped me to grow physically and clear up the pathway which I would like to continue my studies in.

When we were assigned to create a Documentary, my team and I had just recently returned from UDA College Dance Nationals in Disney World. Immediately, I was determined to focus my Documentary on not only the Nationals experience, but my team experience as a whole.

The College Dance Team world is much different than the Dance Major realm, in addition to being different from my past years as a competitive studio dancer. There is a focus on athleticism, a responsibility to represent our school, and an increased amount of commitment to both practices and performances. However, from an outside perspective, it is difficult to realize that though we are often performing crowd-pleasing routines, our focus remains on technical ability and artistry, especially throughout the Nationals season.

This short documentary is not only my second attempt at using Final Cut Pro, but it is also my attempt to bring to light the purpose of Dance Team and the “back-stage” view. There is more to our team than what we put out on the field and the ability to have been dancing with my teammates has been such an incredible blessing. Words cannot explain how much they have taught me, challenged me, and helped me to grow as a person, as an athlete, and as an artist.