At the start of the 2021-2022 season, the St. Joseph's College Dance Team had little to no hope of attending the Universal Dance Association (UDA) national dance competition in January 2022. This was due to our school's strict Covid-19 protocols. We have attended this competition in numerous years past, earning the title of national finalists in multiple categories. This competition is our primary goal throughout the season. As other teams on the island were beginning to prepare their routines, we still had no word from the school concerning our eligibility to attend. Although these were difficult times, we remained hopeful. We continued to practice and remained dedicated to St. Joseph's, attending and performing at school events.

On October 24th, 2021, the team was personally invited into the Department of Student Life office, receiving the exciting news that we were officially able to attend nationals. From that point on, we hit the ground running. We began fundraising thousands of dollars, received generous sponsors from small businesses and emptied our own pockets in order to reach our goal. While doing so, we continued to support our school and perfected our routines. We spent countless hours practicing, dedicated to following safety protocols, such as getting vaccinated, boosted and wearing our masks. Our rooms and flights were booked, our costumes were paid for, our families booked their trips. We were and still are fully prepared to attend UDA nationals. 

With only a week to spare, we received news that we were no longer able to attend. This devastating news was shared to us through a mere voicemail with minimal explanation. The UDA national competition has implemented rules and protocols to protect the safety of all attendees, which proved effective through last years successful event during an even harsher time. After communicating with a UDA representative, we were informed that we are the only college team on Long Island potentially having to pull out of the competition. 

The St Joseph's Dance Team is asking for your support on this matter. We have worked our hardest to get to this point, only to have it stripped away from us just days before. This news has taken an emotional toll on us, especially for the seniors, who will never have this opportunity again. We ask you to share this through all social media platforms. Signing this petition will hopefully secure our spot at the UDA national competition. Any support is greatly appreciated. Our goal with this petition is to ensure that we get the experience we deserve.

Thank you, 

The St. Joseph's College Dance Team.