GCU Dance Team tap their way to a first-place win
The University’s Dance Team won first place for tap and were crowned the winners for best Tiktok in their first live competition in two years.
GCU’s Dance Team headed to St Andrew’s University to compete compete and perform in their first live showcase since the beginning of covid restrictions in 2020.
The team swept the judges off their feet – taking home two first place prizes at this year’s competition against other Scottish universities, despite a lack of training during lockdown.
GCU Dance President Iona Clancy shared the team’s experience of attending the university-wide competition and tapping their way to a first-place win.
Iona said; “We hardly had any training sessions before the competition due to restrictions over the past year - and despite this we came first for our tap!
GCU are quite famous for tap – we always have a really fun routine for this category.
She added; “Our contemporary team came third as well which was great because so many teams are in that category!”
A long period of coronavirus restrictions and lack of society socials meant that team spirit was at an all-time high as the team made their big return to the stage.
Iona explained; “This year it feels like we’re so much more connected and it feels like a wee family because we’re all just so excited to get back out there and get back to live performances!
I do feel like everyone has the same sentiment of - it’s just so much better this year.”
As well as claiming first prize in the tap category, the team were also awarded for ‘Most Liked Tiktok’.
Iona said; “It’s actually a showcase as well as a competition.
It’s held in an auditorium with an audience, hosts, a judging panel and you have so many different categories like ballet, jazz and hip-hop.
The judges also have to choose a best performer and best Tiktok – which we won!
It’s quite funny but we were actually really buzzing with that and got a box of chocolates for winning which was nice.”
With the go-ahead given to restart in-person training sessions, the team are looking forward to a year of more in-person events and competitions.
Iona said; “We’ve got our showcase coming up which we’re really buzzing about – and we’ll also be doing a fundraiser this year for Child Bereavement UK.
It’s really an exciting time for us because we’ve essentially had to start from scratch again.
Because of covid and everyone studying from home, member numbers have went down so this year our main focus is on being connected and building relationships and making it feel like more of a bonding experience rather than hardcore drills and intense training.”
To keep up to date with the GCU Dance Team visit their Facebook page.
By Rebecca Meechan
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