Most know the tune of the hit song “The Git Up,” but few can properly do the dance to go with the song. Even fewer can perform it as well as Bradley’s homecoming queen Lexi Petrella.
At the homecoming pageant, Petrella, a senior nursing major, performed a hip-hop dance to a remix of the song by Blanco Brown alongside eventual homecoming king Nikkoh Mendoza.
Dancing is nothing new for Petrella, who started dancing when she was three years old. At Bradley, she is a part of Vitality Dance Team, the hip-hop dance team.
“I didn’t want to dance competitively like I did when I was younger, but I wanted to keep it going as a hobby,” Petrella said. “I also like hip-hop dancing more.”
Petrella said she was shocked she actually won the title of homecoming queen, but honored the school thought she was worthy.
“It means the world to me to be recognized by the whole school,” Petrella said. “I think it will be something that will be really cool to look back on years down the road.”
Petrella decided to run for homecoming queen because she wanted to try something new.
“It was something I thought I wouldn’t do in a million years, so I thought I should try it out,” Petrella said. “It was a good way to meet new people and see the school from a different perspective.”
Petrella said the reason she wants to be a nurse is because she enjoys connecting with and helping people.
“I always have been interested in nursing because of the emotional aspect of it,” Petrella said. “Nurses are important because they are there for the patients at the hardest time of their life.”
Carly Senerchia, a senior nursing major, has been friends with Petrella since their freshman year. She thinks Petrella’s bubbly personality suits a career in nursing.
“She is always smiling,” Senerchia said. “She is a kind, warm-hearted person to everyone she meets.”
In addition to Vitality dance, Petrella is involved on campus as an active member of Pi Beta Phi sorority. She said she knew immediately she wanted to join Greek life at Bradley.
“I registered the day the sign-up opened,” Petrella said. “I knew it was a good way to meet people and because of it, I have met my best friends in college.”
