“He is the poster child of what we want for Collective, he is so good at it.” – Dejan Tubic
Dejan was the first DanceMakers faculty to notice Lucas. And he continued to notice him, year after year, calling him out, having him on stage and sponsoring his nomination to Collective. Relationships define life and work and this year as a member of Season XI of Collective Lucas had the opportunity to experience his extracurricular activity of dance in the real working world. He learned how to run backstage, the logistics of staging, coordinating dancers and supporting awards, assisting faculty ranging in styles and familiarity, learning their preferences on running the music and teaching, and being on all the time whether he was backstage, on stage, or in the elevator. He knew dancers of all ages were watching him because he had done the same. Collective from seasons past had hyped him, inspired him and been a role model. From the nervous youngest to the talented oldest, he offered support, laughed with them and celebrated for them. Every weekend he was deepening his relationships with the faculty and staff and building new ones with every dancer and studio owner he interacted with. And every weekend, in cities around the country, hearing the cheers from the crowd when he was introduced, his impact was felt.
Tagged: CDC, Creative Dance Center, dance, Dancemakers, Lucas, Nationals, Oliver, Penny
They did it! But wait, this journey for Lucas actually started seven years ago. DanceMakers was the first dance convention he attended when he joined Creative Dance Center’s competition team in 5th grade. It immediately made an impression on him. We’ve attended many dance conventions and the format is largely the same; high caliber faculty, classes in many styles of dance, competition against some of the best dance studios in the nation. What has stood DanceMakers apart from the rest is their vision; to make every person who walks through their doors feel welcomed, loved and supported. Those first few years Lucas stood out for his hip hop while he learned ballet, jazz, contemporary, tap, ballroom and musical theater. Then class by class, year by year, his confidence grew. His trust in the dance community grew. His belief in himself as more than a hip hop dancer grew. The community, the faculty and the Collective of DanceMakers played a big part in the safety of this growth. For the past seven years we’ve attended a DanceMakers regional event and for the past three years we’ve attended their Nationals. The mutual trust and respect between our studio and DanceMakers has grown tremendously in the past few years with our coaches and dancers all feeling a bit more at home, every year.
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What starts in August with choreography ends in June with DanceMakers Nationals and the last time they perform their routines of the season. Several routines took home Style High Scores including Let It Bump for Teen Hip Hop Extended Line, Ensnared for Senior Open Group, Money for Senior Hip Hop Line and Heatin’ Up for Senior Hip Hop Extended Line and Ensnared winning Performance of the Year. Lucas always comes into Nationals with nerves and expectations. His emotions swung from insecurity to validation and I am so proud of his resilience and what he was able to accomplish and prove to himself. 
Our Everyday 