Justin Hecimovich

Sports Media Major, looking to become a sports broadcaster.



Projects by Justin Hecimovich

Dancing Through Life: How friendship, passion, and teamwork shape two IU dancers

By Elle Schuermann, Jordan Brown and Justin Hecimovich

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (April 3rd, 2025)

 

The music blasts through the speakers and the IU RedSteppers hit every beat with perfect energy and rhythm. Their crimson and cream outfits unite as one as they move in sync, perfecting their routine and electrifying the sold-out Memorial Stadium on a Saturday afternoon. Every turn, jump, and step isn’t just about the physical move itself, but rather the passion behind them.

For two of these dancers, it’s more than just practice. It’s their life.

Roommates and best friends Jenna Handlan and Jenna Fricke have spent a lot of time together dancing side by side, and in their everyday lives. Handlan said, “We literally do everything together nonstop–practice, dinner, lunch–everything we do is together.” Between school, performances, and just trying to survive college, they rely on each other to push through the chaos.

Best friends and dance partners, always getting ready before every performance. From early mornings to late-night rehearsals, you can always find Jenna and Jenna at their desks.

Their room is basically an extension of the studio. Posters of past performances hang on the walls, and their common space often turns into a practice space when needing extra time to perfect a routine. They keep each other motivated, whether it’s for perfecting choreography or getting through another long day of practice, class, and studying.

They also feed off each other’s energy. When one is struggling, the other steps up to bring the hype. Handlan gives examples of the duo lifting the other one up, “All the time, I feel like if on the way to practice if someone doesn’t want to go or someone’s not feeling it that day, we push each other and we’re like you got it, it’s a hard day you’re gonna make it through.” If one feels exhausted after a long day, the other pushes them to keep going. Whether it’s blasting music together before rehearsal and have fun at home or simply giving each other that extra boost of encouragement before a big performance, they always find a way to lift each other up.

These iconic red boots carry every step, every routine, and every unforgettable memory on the dance floor.

It’s not just about accountability, it’s about knowing that someone always has your back. If school and dance stress starts to feel overwhelming, they remind each other why they’re here in the first place. It’s a partnership built on trust, hard work, and the unspoken understanding that they’re stronger together.

Some days are exhausting. They wake up early for class, endure hours of labs and lectures, then rush to practice, where they push their bodies to the limit. The late nights and early mornings add up, and sometimes they’ll wonder how they’ll keep going, but that’s when they can rely on each other. But as tiring as it is, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of stepping onto the field, hearing the sold-out BIG10 crowd roar for you, and knowing all their hard work has paid off.

Being a RedStepper is no joke. Game days mean performing in front of thousands of fans, keeping the energy high, and representing IU with every move. When game day was discussed, Fricke said, “For game days when we have to get up at 3:00 or 4:00 A.M. and I think we just hype each other up too.” Their ability to thrive from the other’s energy in such a rigorous schedule is vital for balance. However, the packed crowd’s excitement, the booming music, the feeling of representing IU, the synchronized steps, it all comes together in a way that makes the exhaustion worth it.

One of the Jennas’ first home games together under the Bloomington lights, performing side by side on their home field.

Behind the big performances are the small moments that keep them going. The inside jokes, the water breaks, the support when someone’s struggling with simply a move or balancing everything, the pre-game talks before stepping onto the field. That’s what makes it special.

For Handlan and Fricke, it’s about more than just the dancing. It’s about the people who surround the RedStepper team and make it a family.

Through the long practices, the late-night study sessions, and the pressure to always perform at their best, they’ve learned discipline, teamwork, time management and how to push through challenges when they’re exhausted. These are lessons they’ll carry beyond IU and the RedSteppers. Whether they’re in a hospital room caring for patients or in a classroom teaching students, the dedication and resilience they’ve built as dancers will stick with them.

And when they finally take the field on game day, they’re not just dancing. They’re living the dream, one step at a time.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJklCagvDFU

The inspiring story of how Jenna Handlan and Jenna Fricke, best friends and dance partners, constantly push each other to be their best selves. Through challenges, long rehearsals, and the pressures of college life, they uplift one another both on and off the dance floor.

 

Apple CEO Tim Cook Announced Newest Device Live This Week

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contacts
Janiya Beason
John Doyle
Justin Hecimovich

This past week, Apple CEO, Tim Cook announced a brand-new device, the Apple watch. It was presented to a live audience during an event held at the Flint Center at De Anza College in Cupertino, California.
Apple’s latest creation is the Apple Watch, and after this report, we’re convinced this product will take the world by storm. We know Apple for their endless creativity, and innovation, as well as their consistent ways of upgrading their products. Apple is known for many different devices that have already shaken the culture. Dating back to as early as the Macintosh computer, the iMac and the iMac mini, or even as recent as the iPod, iPod touch, and the iPhone itself. This new Apple watch would just add to the already long list of revolutionary inventions Apple has produced.

Music enthusiast, Zach Elecesser, uses Apple Watch to help tune his guitar. Elecesser’s watch gets daily use as he records, creates and experiments with his musical talent in his Indianapolis home.

Now, to discuss some of the basic things the watch has to offer, starting with the simple aesthetics, the watch already has multiple different designs, as well as different colors for the bands. To get in deeper detail, the bands are made from a strong, durable, and sweat-resistant, high-performance elastic, designed with a soft quality leather for ultimate comfort. There are six different kinds of straps along with a mechanism that makes them extremely easy to change or switch out. To add on, they’re offering Apple watch designs made from gold, silver, and stainless steel. There are also completely different branches to the apple watch itself, we have the “classic” Apple watches, the “sport”, and the “edition” models. The possibilities, much like the options, are endless. It’s all up to you to decide what you’re looking for, and what you feel fits you the best. “Apple watch is the most personal device we’ve ever created, we set out to make the best watch in the world.” CEO of Apple, Tim Cook stated himself during the announcement. If that’s not proof enough of Apple’s dedication to creation, we don’t know what is.
That’s what’s so great about Apple, they understand their audience and they make sure to have a fit for everyone. Which is also why these watches come in different sizes, because Apple understands that one size does not fit all. Made for inclusivity, these watches come in smaller and larger sizes.

Middle-school teacher, Kevin Doyle, uses Apple Watch to plan his week’s schedule. Doyle uses the Apple Watch’s calendar to ensure an orderly schedule in Indianapolis.

As for the features the watch offers, the list is almost never ending. Apple knew they needed to come up with new innovations for a product this small in size, and they did not disappoint. Of course, to own an Apple watch you need to already own an iPhone because they are connected. With this you’d have access to all of the same apps a basic iPhone offers but, on your watch, as well. To list some of the apps as an example, you would have access to the camera app, photos, messages, clock, calendar, and it can even track your health and heart rate. For health or exercise purposes specifically, it can establish goals based on the tracking of your health progress; while helping you create and keep a healthy routine. “… maybe you just want to track what you’re doing during the day, or perhaps you exercise regularly, or even if you’re a very serious athlete, Apple watch helps you live a better day.” CEO of Apple, Tim Cook stated during the event. That’s just a further example of how you can personalize this watch to fit you.
Kevin Lynch, vice president of Apple also spoke at this event and gave a live demonstration of the Apple watch. He used the watch live in front of the audience and showed how it can control music, and volume, it has quick automated responses, and he even showed how this watch has access to maps, and has the ability to guide you places and tell you where to turn using vibrations so you don’t even have to look down and check the watch. It also offers new forms of communication through digital touch. This watch can only be described as a groundbreaking invention with all kinds of fresh and different ways to live your day-to-day life.
Overall, to sum it up, Apple has done it again. There’s a new cutting-edge product that Apple’s team believes will change and impact people’s lives for the better, and we are all very excited to see where the Apple watch will take us in the future. It’s set to be coming soon in early 2015, so be on the lookout for Apple’s newest and most imaginative device yet. “Apple builds great products that enrich people’s lives, and arguably we can take that to a whole new level with Apple watch.”

 Tim Cook introduces the new digital crown navigation feature coming with the Apple Watch. Along with that, the two health applications that are designed specifically for the Apple Watch to track a user’s health in their daily routine. 

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