Dance Among the Stars

Ten new dancers are taking the stage as the USF campus welcomes back Dancing with The Stars for a third season. This competition will last three weeks, and each week has a different theme. Kelsey Bageant, a sophomore at USF, is the event coordinator as well as a choreographer.

“It’s a traditional event that we have here at USF that showcases different dancer’s talents, as well as the choreographers,” Bageant says.

Last season, Bageant was involved in the event as one of the ten dancers. “Instead of learning the dances I’ll be creating them, but also running the event,” Bageant says.

This season will incorporate veterans as well as new comers into the event. Micah Reierson, a sophomore at USF, will be showing off his moves for the first time in DWTS.

“I’m not a dancer, but I was in show choir in high school so I was exposed to it,” Reierson says.

Ian Doyle, a sophomore at USF, is also a newcomer to DWTS. Doyle has been looking forward to this competition for quite some time.

“Last year when I saw it, I was super jealous because I love dancing, and I was super mad that I never got the opportunity to do it,” Doyle says. “At the beginning of this year when I found out that Kelsey was in charge of it, it was the middle of last semester. I told her I was ready to do it.”

Each couple has one week to prepare their routines, but continue to tweak it up until the night of the performance. Trust among the teams is crucial to a successful dance, and that trust comes from hours of practice and comradery. “We get to build our relationship and spend time together,” Doyle says.

Dancing with The Stars is on Monday nights in the Meredith Auditorium at 9 p.m. for two more weeks. The audience members have a portion of the vote to help decide the winners, so get out and support your favorite team.

Story by Jessica Justin, Jessica Perez, & Tyler Riedman