Marisa Tolu is another one of our students at Saint John Neumann that thrives both in the classroom and out in the community. As she comes to school everyday and works with her classmates and teachers to succeed academically, she is also working and competing to succeed as a dancer. 

I recently interviewed her to get her input on what she does:

What are you involved in?

My name is Marisa Tolu and I am a senior at Neumann. At school, I am a member of Key Club, Spanish Club, YACHT Club, and House Council. In House Council, I am one of the DeSales captains and I am a captain on the cheer team. Outside of school, I am involved with my church, my community, my family, and dance. My biggest commitment and my greatest passion is dance.

Tell me about dance.

I have been dancing since I was 4 and I began competing when I was 7. I currently dance on the competition team at Dance Arts by Maria.

What is the most memorable experience you’ve had doing this?

The most impactful memory I have from dance was last year when I competed with my solo at a competition independent from my new studio. All of the girls on my team showed up in the audience, surprising me. I was not expecting to hear many people in the audience, but I walked on stage and I heard my whole team which just brought me so much joy. That was how I knew that this team was going to be a second family.

What has dance taught you over the course of your career?

Dance has taught me many lessons, particularly that you are the one in charge of your potential. If you put in the work in class and outside of class and have a growth mindset, you will be able to achieve great things. I am extremely grateful for dance, for everything that it has taught me, and I am excited to continue dancing in the future.

Marisa’s competitive spirit is something that should influence everybody to strive for greatness at whatever they do. Let drive and dedication help you to work hard both academically and in your extracurriculars to achieve your goals! As Marisa continues to pursue her career in dance, we wish her the best at whatever is to come!