[♪ Music Playing ♪]

Deneishia Haralson:

Dance has definitely been very therapeutic for me my entire life. Growing up, I struggled to express my emotions and put them into words, so dancing helped me to get those things off my chest. 

[♪ Music Playing ♪]

Deneishia Haralson:

DCO, the Virginia dance company-- we're a student-run dance organization here on Grounds. 

Abigail Garcia:

We have 50 members. And we have two shows a year, one in the fall and one in the spring. 

Deneishia Haralson:

All of our dancers have been working hard all semester to curate these pieces. 

Abigail Garcia speaking to group of dancers at rehearsal:

Then this is 90. 

Abigail Garcia:

Rehearsals are the perfect mix of work and play. 

Deneishia Haralson:

We're able to encourage each other to keep feeding that passion for our love of movement and to be able to express ourselves. 

[♪ Music Playing ♪]

Reese Kennedy:

Growing up as competition dancers, obviously it can be pretty harsh. 

Abigail Garcia:

So healing for anyone who just kind of had more of a demanding relationship with it in their adolescence, to come here and dancing more for like the passion of it instead of the perfection of it. 

Deneishia Haralson speaking to a group of dancers at rehearsal:

Next week, we will be in the Paramount. 

Bre Hodges:

We're all just there to be together and have fun and dance. 

Abigail Garcia:

From rehearsal to show day, everyone is just so focused and so ready to have a good time and perform their best. 

Dancer 1 speaks to group at rehearsal:

Good luck! 

Dancer 2 speaks to group at rehearsal:

Have fun guys. 

Bre Hodges:

Take a deep breath, it's “go” time. 

[♪ Music Playing ♪]

Abigail Garcia:

The energy just feels different when you're performing on stage. 

Bre Hodges:

Anything you're stressed about; everything just goes out the door. You're honestly not thinking about the steps and, like, where you're going. You're living in the moment of dancing with everyone around you and feeding off their energy. 

Deneishia Haralson:

Without DCO, my UVA experience definitely would not have been the same. And I'm in a space where I feel like I can be authentically myself. 

Dancer 3 speaks to the group:

DCO or die on 3. 1, 2, 3 – 

Whole group of dancers respond:

DCO or die!

[Cheers and applause]