By Owen Kitzan – Sports Editor

Over the St. Patrick’s Day weekend most of Bishop’s could be found partying in the streets, bars, or wherever else they could find. What many did not know is at the break of dawn on Friday, March 17, while most people slept and prepared for another action-packed day, the BU Dance Club’s competitive team hopped on a train and headed to Toronto to participate in the ironically named showcase, BU Dance Varsity Challenge.

The event took place at the Living Arts Center, a large theater located in Mississauga, ON, near the popular Square One shopping center. The team was there Friday through Monday and had the chance to register seven different performances which included a hip hop routine done to “Beat It”, jazz routine to “When She’s Gone,” two contemporary routines to both “Moments” and “Mantra,” a ballet number with the song “Guilded” playing, a hip-hop piece to “Get To Work,” and last but not least a tap dance routine to “Memphis Soul Stew.”

Their missed St. Patrick’s Day weekend in Lennoxville did not go to waste, with both the hip-hop and tap dance numbers reaching the podium in their respective categories. Hip-hop came in third, and tap dance finished in second place amongst their competitors. A solid all around showing from their team proved that their hard work throughout the year has come to fruition as they got to walk away with not only hardware to their names, but the sense of pride that comes from accomplishing such a feat. 

Dance team member Kate Vandermeulen said about the experience: “I didn’t grow up going to competitions, so I always really enjoy being in an environment where everyone is so passionate about dance, and getting to see the extraordinary talent on all the teams. I loved getting to see my teammates perform, and cheering for them in the crowd when I wasn’t dancing myself.” Her teammate Kilah MacCoul said about her time at the competition, “My favorite moment of the trip was laughing non-stop in the hotel rooms with my teammates.”

Following an impressive showcase, the dance team returned to school on Monday with their heads held high, a couple podium finishes added to their resume, and with memories to last a lifetime. Congratulations to the members of the team on a successful weekend, and we look forward to seeing what is in store next.