By: Jasmine Neely (’16)
I have been a dancer since I was three years old when my mother put me in dance at BB Dance Productions in Charlotte, N.C. Growing up, I never switched dance studios or took a year off from dance because I didn’t like it or was getting tired of it. I pretty much knew that dance was my passion at a young age.
I went from studio dancing to collegiate dancing, and, quite frankly, now that I am a senior dancer on the UNC Dance Team, I don’t know what I’m going to do with my life after graduation.
I find myself asking, “Will I dance for an NBA or NFL team? Will I just take classes, or will I fulfill my ultimate goal of dancing for Beyonce?” It’s unnerving to think about because I’m so used to dancing every week for a certain number of hours. Although my future in dance seems bleak right now, I will always cherish the opportunities I’ve had and the friends I’ve made through dance.
I’ve had so many experiences with dance since coming to UNC and being on the dance team. I came from a predominately black studio in Charlotte to a predominately white team at UNC.
One of the first things I noticed when joining the team was the emphasis put on getting spray tans. I had never worried about getting a spray tan for dance competitions or performances because I never needed it. It made me realize how important appearance really is, especially at games when people far up in the stands need to see what you’re doing on the field or on the court. I still have yet to get my spray tan, although I keep telling my teammates that I’ll try it out.
While noticing differences in appearance with my current teammates and my studio back home, I also noticed how difficult it can be on the dance team to pay for school and also pay for dance.
We work to get local sponsors from businesses, such as Sup Dogs and Hickory Tavern, but also have a lot of fundraisers that include selling posters and hosting dance clinics. We have to raise this money just to compete at NDA Nationals. Surprisingly, we are still not considered a Varsity Sport by the Department of Athletics. In lieu of this, we do not receive funding by the athletic department. Despite the time we spend practicing, we do not receive any sort of scholarship either. This aspect can be difficult at times because we are not guaranteed funding like other sports, such as football and basketball, yet other dance teams like East Carolina, Clemson and NC State receive some type of funding through their school. Although we can now apply for funding as a student organization, it’s not always guaranteed, and that is one of the tough things I have to figure out with my co-captains.
In spite of that shortcoming of the dance team, there are also many perks. I have been to just about every home basketball game and never have to worry about entering a lottery to get tickets. Now that I am a senior, I am grateful to have tickets for my family and friends to come to games. My dad and uncle’s dream was to see UNC play Duke, and they got to do that this year. Interacting with the basketball team at events such as Late Night With Roy is always fun too. The dance team gets to dance with them and see how they are as people off the court.
Throughout the years, I have also noticed that being on the team is similar to being a local celebrity. People on campus sometimes notice me without me knowing who they are. A lot of times people want pictures of us at games and recognize us on social media. It’s always funny to see what students say about us on social media sites such s Yik Yak and how many cheer and dance pages mention us. I think it’s pretty cool.
On the topic of social media, our coach always reminds us to be careful of what we post because we have to represent UNC well. Being aware of the small things such as this is important because, sometimes, I feel like I always have to watch what I do and what I say. Being held to a high standard on and off the court, field, or stage keeps me disciplined and grounded. These are things that dance has always taught me.
Many people don’t know that we compete for dance team. We spend a lot of time during the spring semester working on our nationals performances and preparing to compete against elite teams from all over the country in Daytona Beach, FL. Competing is what I am used to and is something that I enjoy, although it can be very nerve racking at times.
Being on the UNC Dance Team has been an interesting and great experience. From this, I was able to meet so many different people and make lots of friends all while doing what I love, which is truly the best part.
