Joining the dance team her freshman year, Bailey Finnerty (12) has competed at nationals every year since joining.
Competing at nationals for the final time with her team, Finnerty felt conflicting emotions.
“Performing at nationals was kind of bittersweet for me since it was my last nationals,” Finnerty said. “But I was just so excited to be in that competitive setting with my team one last time and putting it all out on the floor.”
Although Finnerty has competed at nationals every year since joining the dance team, she has found each year to be different.
“I just feel like the whole team aspect is so different,” Finnerty said. “Every year, it is a whole different team, and navigating a new team is eye-opening, but I feel like there is a lot of change in a good way that comes with having a new team.”
Even after competing at nationals every year, the memory that has stuck with her the most was from her first time competing at nationals.
“I would probably say winning nationals my freshman year is my favorite memory from dance,” Finnerty said. “That was the first time Crown Point has ever won, and being a part of that was really cool, and then just trying to keep that title throughout the years.”
Although Finnerty will not be dancing at the collegiate level, she plans to continue to keep it in her life. While she aspires to major in business to one day open a hair salon.
“In college, I’m not going to join a dance team, but I’m planning to join a club team so that I can continue to dance, and I hope to be a coach one day,” Finnerty said. “I also want to major in business, and I also plan on going to cosmetology school so that I can open my own hair salon.”
Though Finnerty has competed at nationals every year for the past four years, instead of continuing dancing with a dance team in college she plans to join a club dance team in order to focus on her schooling.
