Nicole Swekla, a grade nine student, wowed the Coffee House crowd with her dance to Jessie Jay’s “Burning Up.” Nicole’s dance was fast-paced, energetic and unquestionably captivating. After enjoying Nicole’s performance, we decided to sit down with her for another segment of Have You Met This Raider?
Q: Do you dance competitively?
A: I do! I dance for the IT Factor Academy.
Q: Do you only attend Latin dance competitions?
A: Well, some competitions have other types of dances, but yes, it is mainly Latin. Last year, I did contemporary competitive too, but I decided to focus on Latin.
Q: How did you get into dance?
A: I don’t know how I got into dance, but when my family and I went on Caribbean vacation I wanted to start Latin dance. I was nine when I started dancing Latin. I had been thinking about it for a while before we stumbled upon classes. Then I tried it and I really liked it!
Q: How long have you been dancing?
A: Well, I’ve been dancing in general for probably about 10 years, but I’ve been doing Latin for only five.
Q: What is your process of choreographing a dance?
A: Lot’s of the times we choreograph stuff first, and then we choose the song, but it really depends.
Q: Why do you like Latin dance so much?
A: Latin dance is more fun than other styles of dance!
Q: Do you dance all styles or just Latin?
A: At the moment, I just do Latin, but I’ve done other styles.
Q: Is there anything you are looking forward to this coming year?
A: Well…I’m starting a new level of dance with my partner.
Q: What is it like to dance with a partner ?
A: Well, you need to work on partnering, but then there are some moves that you can do better with a partner than you can by yourself.
Q: How do you like STA so far?
A: It’s pretty nice. It’s big!
Q: Have you got involved in any clubs or teams at STA yet?
A: I was on the cross country team and I’m on the dance team.
Q: Are you in pre-IB? How do you like it?
A: Yes! It doesn’t seem that much more challenging than the other programs so far.
Q: What are some of your hobbies?
A: I play the violin. I sometimes run outside of school, but not competitively.
Q: What’s your favourite song?
A: I don’t think I have one right now.
Q: What’s your favourite T.V show?
A: Friends!
Q: Would you rather be the first person to explore a planet or be the inventor of a drug that cures a deadly disease?
A: Be the inventor of a drug, because that will help a lot of people and it seems kind of cool.
Q: Would you rather lose all your money and valuables or all the pictures you have ever taken?
A: All the pictures I’ve ever taken because I don’t really take that many pictures.
Q: How does it feel to be in high school?
A: I like it. Except this isn’t my feeder school, so I’m not in school with all of my closest friends.
Q: What elementary school did you go to?
A: I went to St. Margaret of Scotland in Mississauga.
Q: What is your favourite place in school?
A: Probably…the stairwell.