Helena Rawlings is one of the newest members of the UCA Dance Team, but that doesn’t mean she’s new to the art of dance. 

Rawlings, a freshman psychology major with a minor in creative writing, is from Crossett, a small town in south Arkansas where her passion for dance formed early.

“I started dancing when I was 10, but I didn’t really fall in love with it until around 11 or 12 when I started taking ballet,” Rawlings said. “Ballet has always had a special place in my heart and I’ve grown a strong passion for it.”

One of Rawlings’s favorite things about being a dancer is the thrill of performing different routines in front of a crowd.

“Although it makes me nervous, the adrenaline I get when I’m in front of such a large audience is so exciting,” Rawlings said.

Rawlings said her favorite memory of performing in front of a crowd comes from a dance competition she competed in high school in El Dorado, Arkansas.

“I placed first overall in solos, judge’s choice and first overall solid in my division. I remember how accomplished I felt and being so happy that all the hard work paid off,” Rawlings said. “I’ll never forget that day.”

Rawlings knew that when searching for colleges, she wanted to continue dancing. That is when she came across the UCA dance team’s Instagram and fell in love watching videos of past performances.

“Needless to say, I loved what I saw. I decided that this was the program I wanted to be a part of,” Rawlings said. “I decided that day I would try out.”

Like many other freshmen, Rawlings took some time to adjust to the level of commitment needed in college.

“Dancing in college is definitely much more of a commitment than in high school,” Rawlings said. “Much more responsibility comes with being on a collegiate team of any kind, however, it’s also much more fulfilling in my opinion. It’s a lot of hard work but so worth it.”

To Rawlings, college gives students “so many opportunities to grow as a person and the ability to find others that share common goals.”

“My favorite thing about college so far is probably the freedom and responsibility of becoming an adult,” Rawlings said. “It obviously is a very stressful process, but it really allows you to better find yourself.”

Rawlings’s favorite Honey Bear Dance Team memory is having a breakfast pajama party with the team the morning of a football game.

“We all wore cute pajamas and went over to Hannah Jones’ house for breakfast, it was so much fun,” Rawlings said.

Rawlings also looks forward to the spring semester, where the Honey Bears will compete in Daytona, Florida, for nationals.

“It’s going to be a very stressful time, but so fun at the same time,” Rawlings said.

Outside of dance, Rawlings loves to write, which is why she chose to minor in creative writing.

“I love to write poetry and am also in the process of writing several books and short stories. I love to be creative and express myself through writing,” Rawlings said.

After graduation, Rawlings plans to put her psychology major to use as a child psychologist.

“I find the brain and the way it functions so fascinating,” Rawlings said. “I plan to be a child psychologist after college because I absolutely love kids and have a strong desire to help them.”

Besides being a child psychologist, Rawlings plans to continue her passion of dance by owning her own dance studio.

“I love choreographing and teaching. This has been a dream of mine for years, and I’m determined to make it come true,” Rawlings said.