Purdue fosters many different dance organizations within its diverse range of clubs and extracurriculars, but Higher Ground Dance Company is different.  You may or may not have heard of the organization, but at the end of each semester the dance company puts on a captivating performance showcasing a variety of different dance styles, including Jazz, Lyrical, Bollywood, Tap, Pom, and Kickline. These performances are entirely student-choreographed and are crafted through a semester of hard work, dedication, and philanthropic passion of its nearly 100 members. It’s a great outlet for those who love to dance and perform, as well as for people who want to make new friends and find a “home” at Purdue. It also provides a great opportunity to give back to the community.
“We all share this passion of dance, and that’s what brings us together, but it’s the wonderful people inside the company that make this organization truly special. The officers and choreographers especially put so much time and effort into the show … Everybody wants to make the show as great as possible for a really good cause. I’m really glad I can be a part of that!”
           -Megan Noe, Junior and first-semester member of Higher Ground Dance Company
What makes the company especially unique and special to members is it’s story and mission. Higher Ground Dance Company supports the Andréa Rizzo Foundation, which provides funds to keep dance therapy in hospitals and other health treatment settings for children with cancer or other disabilities. The benefits of dance therapy include stress relief, motor skill development, increased mood, fitness improvements, and the most important benefit of all, the kids really enjoy it!
As stated on the Andréa Rizzo Foundation’s website, Andréa Rizzo was a young woman who had a strong passion for dance and for helping children. She was tragically killed by a drunk driver in 2002. She herself had been a survivor of childhood cancer and had been attending NYU graduate school. She hoped to become a dance therapist so that she could turn her passion for dance into something positive that could help other sick children feel better. Higher Ground Dance Company was formed in her memory so that Andréa’s dream could still be fulfilled. The $5 ticket prices are not for nothing. The proceeds raised from the show go towards the Andréa Rizzo Foundation, who use the money to ensure that children can still enjoy the numerous benefits of dance therapy.
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Right now, the students of Higher Ground are in the process of grueling dress rehearsals.  By the end of this week, they will have spent approximately 16 total hours practicing in Loeb Playhouse before they even set one jazz-shoe onstage to begin their show at the Stewart Center, on Sunday. Occurring at the same time as the dreaded “Dead Week” before final exams, dress rehearsals can prove to be stressful for the tired dancers. However, remembering that this show is not about them, but for the children, helps keep those smiles up and toes pointed.
“My favorite part about being in Higher Ground is that it allows me to continue something that I love, dancing, while also working to raise money for an amazing cause- giving sick children a chance to experience the joys of dancing. I want to be a pediatrician, so it combines my love of dancing with my love of helping children! And there’s so many people on campus that I probably wouldn’t know otherwise.”
           -Sarah Marshall, HGDC Public Relations Officer, 7 semesters in the company
Higher Ground also means the world to me personally, as this is my 3rd semester with the company. It has been by far my favorite part of my Purdue experience. I was a dancer on my high school’s Varsity Pom squad for 3 years, and I desperately wanted to continue dancing in college. However, my skills are not quite on par with the well-trained and talented Purdue Golduster Dance Team or the Purdue Dance Team, and I was devastated at the thought of not being able to continue dancing at Purdue. I found out about Higher Ground my sophomore year and realized that everything truly does happen for a reason. Higher Ground has instilled a purpose, happiness and sense of wellbeing in me that I didn’t have my freshman year. I have met so many people through Higher Ground, and the sense of passion we have for our cause truly inspires me. I only wish I had found out about it sooner! Higher Ground Dance Company is definitely my “home” and my previously “missing puzzle piece” at Purdue, and if I had joined sooner, it would have made my first year at Purdue infinitely better.
Come see Higher Ground Dance Company perform this Sunday, December 11th, at the noon or 4:00 p.m. show in Loeb Playhouse, located in the Stewart Center! Tickets are $5 at the door, and proceeds go to the Andréa Rizzo Foundation! If you cannot attend but would like to donate to this wonderful cause, please go to http://www.dreasdream.org/home/ and click on the “Donate/Gifts” tab at the top of the page.