Senior Grace Berman has been dancing as long as she can remember. For her, dancing started as just a hobby and then she just stuck with it throughout her elementary school years leading into high school as well.

Berman started dancing at the age of two; she took many dance classes at a place in Wheeling, Illinois. After Berman moved, she danced at the Center for Dance studio and currently dances at Impact Dance Company. The classes would help her learn jazz, lyrical, ballet, point, hip hop, tap dancing and turns.

“My mom signed me up for my first class and kind of made me do it but then after a certain age. … I kind of got serious about [dance] and realized that it is something fun to do. It relieved all of the extra [stressors] of my life and it was a safe spot I could go to,” Berman said.

Berman also was a part of the cheer team at her middle school, since the cheer team did not conflict with her schedule with studio dance.

Going into high school, Berman tried out for the DGS dance team. Her freshman year she was on the JV team, and her sophomore year till senior year, Berman was a part of the varsity dance team.

She explains how dance helped her form meaningful and lasting connections.

“ I think it helped me gain more friendships, at least with people I was at school with everyday. It has brought me really close with some of my friends now,” Berman said.

Senior and captain on the varsity dance team Hanna Rodeck speaks about how Berman was a part of the team.

“This year she acted as an ‘older sister’ to many of the JV girls, always offering to give them rides or help them with skills. I know a lot of them looked up to her during the season as an example of persistence and hard work. She also brought a lot of spirit to the varsity team with her accessories for games and her uplifting energy,” Rodeck said.

Berman has made the decision to continue her dance career at St. Ambrose University in Iowa.

“Dance is a really big part of my life and it became who I am. The fact that someone was recruiting me and thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, this girl is a really good dancer,’ kind of made me realize I do not want to stop dancing,” Berman said.

“I am excited that Grace can continue to dance in college because it is her passion. She was singled out as a great dancer and is worthy of a sports scholarship,” Carrie Berman said.

Berman is very excited to continue her academic journey as well as her dance career for her next four years at college. Berman explains how she sees herself moving forward with dance in the future.

“With dance, I do want to be a dance teacher or instructor of some sort at least for a little bit during college, because I do enjoy the teaching aspect of dance,” Berman said.

Rodeck is also excited to see what Berman has in store for her future.

“ I am most excited to see what Grace contributes to her college dance team. I am sure her positive energy and humor will be appreciated by her teammates and coaches, and will only help her future team become closer and form more positive bonds. I am also excited to see how much she improves as her program and coaches push her to continue being the best dancer she can be and extend her limits,” Rodeck said.

Berman is focusing on getting her nursing degree at St. Ambrose University as well. In the future, Berman hopes to become a travel nurse.

Her mom speaks about how she’s proud of her daughter.

“I am thrilled that Grace has such a bright future. She can achieve her dreams of dancing in college and becoming a nurse. She is going to do great things and we are so proud of her,” Berman said.