Napier Dance is one of the biggest clubs at Edinburgh Napier University with over 70 members and 7 different styles of classes across 4 nights of training. This year we stepped up our game in every element of our club’s activity and that is enough to make us all incredibly proud. We gained more members and were able to offer exciting new styles of dance, also offering additional monthly workshops to further expand our dancers’ experience. Napier Dance held its two major fundraisers with lots of success, with Strictly Come Dancing in the first semester and Lip Sync for Your Life in the second semester. We almost doubled the amount of dancers who compete with us and added a Jazz Comp Team for the first year, with loads of comp successes thanks to the brilliant work of our Team Captains. On top of all this work we also had at least two socials every month so keep our big dance family close together. To see all of these improvements happen is a credit to the hard work of our committee and our club as a whole. Even just looking back on all that we have achieved in 2017/18 is enough to make my heart burst with pride but this weekend at Awards Ball, our achievements were recognised and it feels so damn good.

Each year Napier’s sports clubs and societies get together for a huge ball where the achievements from the past academic year are celebrated. We get to dress up and look all pretty, have a three course meal and dance the night away (ceilidh included). But the most exciting part of the evening is the Awards Ceremony where we acknowledge the exceptional commitment of Team Napier clubs and societies. I really love the Team Napier ball because it really makes you love this wee community we have formed at University with all the people who dedicate their time to doing something on top of their studies and that teamwork is really bloody lovely. Sports and societies are the group of students that make me so so proud to be a Napier student.

This year Dance really killed it at Sports Ball and honestly, now that it has sunk in, I think it’s totally well deserved. Our team have excelled in dedication and performance, so to have that recognised is such an amazing feeling. The first award of the night for us was Best Committee which is such a great one to win. It again is a credit to our teamwork and relentless commitment to being able to provide our members with the best possible experience in Dance. I am so proud of our committee and everything we have achieved this year is a result of our hard work.

Next our incredible Marketing Officer Nelli won Best Media and my god, does she deserve that. Over the past year our social media channels have been ridiculously gorgeous and streamlined due to the meticulous vision of this gal. Personally my highlights are the beautiful This Girl Can campaign series of dance portraits taken in locations around Edinburgh and the Week in the Life of Napier Dance vlog that is coming soon! I am so proud of Nelli and am so glad she was recognised for how much excellence she has produced this year.

Then by some crazy turn of events I won the Sportswoman of the Year award which is so mad to me. I still have to pinch myself to believe that one but I’m so grateful to my club, because without Napier Dance, there’s no way I could do any of the things I fill my time with just now. My time at uni is 100% improved and enriched by the experiences and friendships I share with my Napier Dance family and I can’t imagine uni without them. Bruno also pointed out that I am the first dancer to have won this award which is insane!

Then finally, the absolute highlight of the night and mine and Bruno’s dream for Dance at President and VP: we won CLUB OF THE YEAR! It is unbelievable to be recognised like this and it feels so damn good to see all of our hard work pay off, Napier Dance work their butts off dancing so much every week and still making the time to be an active member of the Team Napier community as well as loving and respecting one another. With so many achievements this year, it is just the icing on the cake to win Club of the Year. Also fun fact: Dance is the only club which has won both Club of the Year and Society of the Year in its history, since we have been both. As a sports club which doesn’t fit in to the usual BUCS/fixtures parameters, it can be hard for us to apply to the criteria of the sports awards and so winning all of these makes it feel even more unbelievable!

I am SO proud of Dance and I know that the committee will agree with me when I thank our entire Club for being so immense. Our members’ passion inspires us and makes it an easy job to dedicate our time to making us the best we can be. NAPIER DANCE IS THE BEST! My heart is full ❤