Swype’s final showcase, Swype This Way 2015, brought dancing and singing student organizations together to raise money for a cause.
The goal of Sunday night’s show was to raise $1,000 for Switch, a non-profit association that helps rehabilitate individuals who have been affected by sex trafficking in South Carolina. As they entered the Russell House Ballroom and throughout the night, the audience was given the chance to donate to the organization.
The organization was brought to the group’s attention by dancer Niki Driver, who interns for Switch.
“Since she’s so passionate about it, and she’s family, we should be passionate about it too,” said Mary Carolyn Moore, president of business development and third year student.
“What we’re really trying to focus on tonight is just raising money for Switch and then bringing USC’s community together as a whole,” Moore said.
Between the free food, dancing and singing, the event brought together groups such as Moksha and the new Renaissance Multicultural a cappella group, not to mention Swype's approximately 50 dancers that worked all semester toward Sunday night.
“It’s so cool to show what were doing and have everyone enjoy it with us,” first-year engineering student Abby Herschman said.
The group worked on the choreography with practices two to three times a week and held a nine-hour rehearsal Saturday to make Sunday' performance as clean as possible.
Moore said that the hardest part was “making sure everyone’s schedules come together for our practices,” since every student has so many commitments.
Swype’s goals for the future include opening up their numbers and evening the playing field. They aim to have a place for every beginner, intermediate and advanced dancer USC has to offer.
“It’s great to see the shy or more reserved people come out of their shells and reveal themselves as a dancer,” Moore said.
The interactive show took audience members out of their seats and showed some great dances, all while displaying an impressive array of candy and cupcakes.
First-year dancer, Sarah Louise Faulker, said the night was extra special.
"When the audience gets into it you know that they’re enjoying," she said, "they can kind of share something that we all love, which is dance.”