![It was definitely out of my comfort zone to get [the dress] and decide I loved it enough not to wait and risk not having something that memorable.](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Precious_20180902_JRS_00008_ed1.jpg)
![Sophomore Sahasra Mandalapu practices bharatanatyam choreography in class. These new dances will be performed in an annual show in February. Mandalapu found that practicing in class helped her overcome stage fright during her performances. “When [I] get on stage, Im nervous Im going to forget, even though Ive done it for so long,” Mandalapu said. “Theres still that little bit of stage fright [when] I second-guess myself that I dont know it enough, but I do because Ive been practicing for a whole year.”](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Sahasra-6-Large-1200x844.jpeg)
![In their full runway outfits, (from left) Audrey Lee 25, Olivia Lucy Teets, 25, Fashion Design teacher Ms. Judy Chance, and Xueying Lili Yang pose for a photo. All three girls made it to Austin Fashion Week by getting in the top 10 in a previous runway show held by Shop LC.
[I like my students] creativity and how they can look at a fabric and make it their own, Ms. Chance said.](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_9686-e1714088765730-1129x1200.jpeg)
![IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Junior Zalie Mann performs “I Love to Cry at Weddings,” an ensemble piece from the fall musical Sweet Charity, to prospective students during the Fine Arts Showcase on Wednesday, Nov. 8. The showcase is a compilation of performances and demonstrations from each fine arts strand offered at McCallum. This show is put on so that prospective students can see if they are interested in joining an academy or major.
Sweet Charity originally ran the weekends of Sept. 28 and Oct. 8, but made a comeback for the Fine Arts Showcase.
“[Being at the front in the spotlight] is my favorite part of the whole dance, so I was super happy to be on stage performing and smiling at the audience,” Mann said.
Mann performed in both the musical theatre performance and dance excerpt “Ethereal,” a contemporary piece choreographed by the new dance director Terrance Carson, in the showcase. With also being a dance ambassador, Mann got to talk about what MAC dance is, her experience and answer any questions the aspiring arts majors and their parents may have.
Caption by Maya Tackett.](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/53321803427_47cd17fe70_o-1-1200x800.jpg)
![SPREADING THE JOY: Sophomore Chim Becker poses with sophomores Cozbi Sims and Lou Davidson while manning a table at the Hispanic Heritage treat day during lunch of Sept 28. Becker is a part of the students of color alliance, who put together the activity to raise money for their club.
“It [the stand] was really fun because McCallum has a lot of latino kids,” Becker said. “And I think it was nice that I could share the stuff that I usually just have at home with people who have never tried it before.”
Becker recognizes the importance of celebrating Hispanic heritage at Mac.
“I think its important to celebrate,” Becker said. “Because our culture is awesome and super cool, and everybody should be able to learn about other cultures of the world.”
Caption by JoJo Barnard.](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/53221601352_4127a81c41_o-1200x675.jpg)
The boys tennis team held a community pickleball tournament on Saturday, Jan. 6, at Chesterfield Mall. Students, parents and alumni all participated in the tournament.
Krishay Vanga, junior, played in the tournament with partner Arnab Chakraborty, sophomore. Vanga, a member of the j.v. tennis team, signed up to help the program.
“I want to be able to provide funding and things like that to Marquette tennis because we don’t get a lot of funding compared to a lot of the other sports,” Vanga said.
Vanga has played pickleball before, but found new enjoyment playing with friends.
“I think I’ve made a lot more connections playing pickleball and I feel like it’s just a really fun sport because it’s really affordable and really easy to work with.”
— Krishay Vanga
“I think I’ve made a lot more connections playing pickleball and I feel like it’s just a really fun sport because it’s really affordable and really easy to work with,” Vanga said.
Tennis and pickleball have a number of similarities. Both sports involve hitting a ball back and forth over a net. Both can also be played in either singles or doubles. Tennis rackets and pickleball paddles are also shaped similarly. Also, both have rectangular courts divided in half by a net, with similar markings on the ground.
Alex Nelle, tennis coach, wanted a fundraiser that would excite people to get involved.
“It’s such a popular sport right now that everybody is playing, so we thought it would be a fun activity to get people together,” Nelle said.
Nelle said one plan of how to use the money raised is to add more benches near the tennis courts on campus to allow easier spectating of matches.
“We’re going to use the money to get more equipment for the program, giving back to the boys, and giving back to the community,” Nelle said.
The boys tennis team’s first game is scheduled for Mar 26.
Alex Chen, Class of 2023, partnered with Andrew Cook, junior, for the tournament.
“I just thought it would be nice to go see my friends again and also to force myself to get out of bed at 8 a.m.,” Chen said.
Chen heard about the tournament after a coach alumni reunion. He went in hopes to give back to the program now that he’s gone and to see it grow as a result.
“I hope that they get more funding,” Chen said. “It also helps get the word out more about the program, and we become more of a part of the community.”
This story was originally published on Marquette Messenger on January 11, 2024.
