You know when you hear of something so special and thrilling, and it’s something that you’ve always wanted to be a part of? This was one of those moments for me. When I saw the posts on social media for Team Canada Dance 2019, they immediately intrigued me. Only in my dreams would I be able to do that. “But it would be so, so cool” I thought…

My experience with this team started in October of 2018. After two hardcore days of auditions and two even longer weeks of waiting for results, I heard back. I couldn’t believe I would be going to Poland and dancing on an international stage! It seemed like forever until we would begin choreography. Slowly but surely the summer of that year arrived, and we had choreography set on us. Each and every person on the team was willing to work incredibly hard to get us to the best place we could on the world stage. Working with so many individuals from different studios is crazy in the best way possible. We created a bond that couldn’t be broken nor found anywhere else. It felt as if everyone became my second family. A few months later, we began the cleaning process. This was the part where we had practices every other weekend, if not every weekend. These practices usually lasted 8 hours. By the end of these long days, we were all extremely exhausted. During the last our we were panting like dogs. I hadn’t been used to this much training. Many trips to Tim Hortons were made, and who knows how many water bottles we went through. To be quite honest, every weekend was a new adventure. And soon enough it would only be a few more weeks ‘till practices became performances.

Ahh, the countdown was on. How had it become November already? I guess time really does fly when you’re having fun. With only one month remaining, it meant preview show time. This would be the first time we would show our dances to friends and family. It was time to hit the stage! December snuck up on us and the day we had all been waiting for had arrived. Poland here I come. A 24-hour travelling session awaited us, but afterwards, we would arrive in our hotel. Vancouver to Poland was quite the journey, but everyone knew that this was going to be an experience of a lifetime. As soon as I walked into the hotel a rush of energy flew through me, it was go time!

On the days where I wasn’t competing/ had nothing to do, I would go down to the theatre. I had the pleasure of watching dancers that had come from all across the world.  It was so unique to see how everyone interpreted dance differently and how no matter the age, level, and country, this artistic sport brought us all together. At the International Dance Organization, I was surrounded by so many people, all those who had a passion for dance. I even made some new friends from across the globe because of this!

The competition itself consisted of a quarter final, semi – final and final. Because it was an international competition, it was very difficult to make finals. However, during my last dance that I was performing, my team and I made it. This was our Junior Jazz Formation which was called “TC’s Hair Salon”. We all got ready and did our classic handshake for the final time. We had to give it our all since it was our last shot. Waiting backstage was a whirlwind of emotions. My body was shaking but I had to remain calm. “Next up representing Canada, TC’s Hair Salon!” Hearing people scream and cheer so loud as we walked on the stage really set the tone. Let me just say, dancing for your nation really gave me this sense of pride that I couldn’t feel anywhere else. It was more than special. All the sweat, energy, and perseverance had gotten us so far, and now, it was our time to shine. As I was dancing for the last time with my beloved team, I began thinking about everything I had been thankful enough to experience. The late nights, laughs, sweaty practices, and performances had all played a big role in this journey. I could feel the adrenaline going through my veins and the judge’s intense focus towards us. The last section of our routine was approaching, and it was time to bring it. At this point, what we would place didn’t matter as much; it was the love within that overpowered the medals and trophies. Breathing so heavily and smiling with pride, we finished our routine. We had killed that. Heaps of love was in the air for one another. This team was so much more than dance. Everything we could’ve done, and more was brought to that stage, and now, it was results time. Sitting waiting for our placement was probably the most suspenseful part of the whole thing. We sat in a group, holding hands, with our hearts beating out of our chests. I could feel my palms getting hot from how nervous I was. The announcer started with #8, went down to #7, then #6. We still hadn’t heard our names called. #5, #4. What!? At this point we were all in shock and were trying to contain our excitement. Never did I ever think that I would be standing on the podium for dance, representing Canada. #3 was awarded and it wasn’t us. Little did I know that we would soon be named “Vice World Champions”! “And in 2^nd place… CANADA!” This was surreal. My ears were ringing due to how loud it was, but I was smiling from ear to ear. Yes, we didn’t get first, but who cares! We made it SO far and I couldn’t have been prouder of myself and my team.

I can’t even begin to explain how much this experience meant to me. I know it seems cliché but it’s true. My love for this team goes beyond words. Take my advice on this. If you ever want to take part in something but aren’t fully sold on it, give it a shot. I did just that and I’m so glad I made that decision. I now have memories that will last me a lifetime. This photo truly describes it all. When you know for a fact that all of your hard work, dedication and perseverance has resulted in something beyond amazing, it’s unreal. Dear Team Canada Dance 2019, you were truly incredible.