My StarterHacks Adventure:

Bringing Can U Dance to Life

Hey everyone! I just got back from an incredible weekend at StarterHacks, and I'm still buzzing with excitement. I want to share my experience working on our team's project, Can U Dance - an app that's all about getting people moving, grooving, and having fun!

The Birth of Can U Dance

It all started when our team huddled together, brainstorming ideas. We wanted to create something that combined technology, fitness, and fun. That's when it hit us - a dance challenge app! As a insta reel addict (guilty as charged), I knew firsthand how popular dance challenges are. We saw an opportunity to take it a step further by adding real-time feedback and a dash of cultural education.

My Role: Front-End Maestro

As the front-end developer, I had my work cut out for me. My job was to make Can U Dance not just functional, but irresistibly engaging. I wanted users to open our app and think, "Wow, this looks awesome!"

I started by sketching out wireframes, imagining how users would flow through the app. From selecting a dance to seeing their final score, every screen needed to be intuitive and exciting. I probably went through a forest's worth of paper before I was happy with the design!

The Coding Marathon

Once we had a solid plan, I dove into coding. NextJs and spline became my best friends (and occasional frenemies) for the next 48 hours. I lost count of how many cups of coffee I drank, but it was all worth it.

One of the biggest challenges was creating the real-time mirroring feature. We wanted users to see themselves side-by-side with the dance instructor, matching moves in real-time. It took some creative problem-solving and a few "eureka!" moments at 3 AM, but we got it working!

Adding the Fun Factor

My favorite part was designing the post-dance experience. I wanted users to feel like stars after completing a dance, so I created an Instagram-style photo capture feature. Seeing your best dance move immortalized in a shareable pic? Priceless!

The Final Countdown

As the hackathon drew to a close, we were putting final touches on everything. I was tweaking animations, optimizing performance, and squashing bugs like there was no tomorrow. When we finally presented Can U Dance to the judges, seeing their faces light up as they tried the app was an incredible feeling.

Looking Ahead

While we didn't win the top prize, the experience was invaluable. We've got big plans for Can U Dance, including adding more dance styles, improving our scoring algorithm, and maybe even partnering with dance instructors for exclusive content.

Final Thoughts

StarterHacks was an incredible experience. It taught me so much about teamwork, time management, and pushing my coding skills to the limit. To anyone thinking about joining a hackathon - do it! You might lose some sleep, but you'll gain amazing friends, skills, and memories.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I think it's time for a well-deserved nap. But first, let me just check if I can nail that new dance move...