Take the #DancerBeatingCancer Challenge to Benefit a Great Cause

January 25, 2018

At 11 years old, Cierra McCauley has already fought one of the hardest battles one can face—the battle against cancer. At age 6, Cierra was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. But having danced since she was 3, Cierra decided to continue dancing and ended up using it as a way to cope with her illness. Cierra even competed in Nationals during her chemotherapy treatments (that’s one tough dancing kween). “I remember going on stage without any hair and a bow taped to my head,” she says. “That year I finished fourth at Nationals in my age group.”

Cierra saw dance as an escape that allowed her to focus on something other than her pain. Now she’s healthy and wants to use dance to help other kids, the way it helped her. “You do feel better when you’re dancing, and it’s a good inspiration for kids when they’re in the hospital,” she says.

After performing a tribute dedicated to the friends she lost to cancer, she decided to create a social media challenge to raise funds for Pediatric Research and Patient Care at Riley Hospital for Children. And the best part is YOU can help Cierra by using your krazy kool dance moves to choreograph your own dance to Meghan Trainor’s Better When I’m Dancin song. Then tag it with #DancerBeatingCancer and challenge your friends. And don’t forget to visit the Riley Children’s Foundation website to donate to the cause.

Just in case you need some dancepiration, we’ve included a few of our favorite vids: