Curtain Call

In the midst of the most stressful weeks I’ve ever endured academically, it was a particularly meaningful week for me. This week, I had my final dance performance at SC and as a college student overall. When my friend Alex told me he had an idea to start a small, lowkey dance project (also known as Lipstick Mafia) this semester with some of my old teammates, I was extremely excited! I never realized how much I missed dancing until that first practice. Having our last performance at danSCollab this past Thursday was such a bittersweet moment. We had the opportunity to perform for Freshman Danceoff the night before which really made the experience come full circle, despite not participating in Danceoff during my freshman year. I loved being back on stage and performing for an audience, but I am more importantly going to miss being part of a team with people who really shaped my college experience and who I am overall.
When I joined Off the Grid (OTG) in the fall semester of my sophomore year, I had no idea that I was going to gain more than a hobby. What ended up happening was that I met some of my best friends and I found a place where I felt I belonged in college. There are very few moments that rival the combination of feelings I had during practices that ran into the early hours of the morning. Bliss, frustration, exhaustion and absolute hilarity: they were all worth it on that stage. To think I was the center of a piece for my very first competition in my second semester on the team! While I did not have the time in my schedule to be a part of OTG this semester, the people I met when I was a part of that team taught me so much.
As I look back on these unforgettable moments and the amazing memories I’ve made, even this week alone, I owe so much of my happiness to all of my former teammates. It was more than an extracurricular network, but actually a family. Is there anything more beautiful than people from all different backgrounds, ethnicities and personalities coming together for the love of dance? It’s hard to say. But I am so grateful for each of them everyday and I wouldn’t have traded these experiences for anything in the world. Thank you all for making these past few semesters so unforgettable ❤