(Bryan Brenize -- The Beacon)
By Rachel McIntosh, Staff Writer -- mcintosh14@up.edu
Lights, camera, dance.
The University of Portland student body will take center stage with its wide array of talent at the fourth annual Dance Showcase.
On April 2 at 7 p.m., the Dance Team is hosting a program in Buckley Center Auditorium to showcase students who dance, sing or play musical instruments. Admission is free.
"The Dance Showcase is open for any students to perform," senior Dance Team co-captain Marianna Hunnicutt said. "They must provide information about themselves, their routine, song and group by signing a registration and contract form. The Dance Team leadership committee reviews/approves the routines during the dress rehearsal."
The Hawaii Club, an a capella boys group, tap-dancing students and brave students singing solos are lined up to entertain us. The Dance Team will also perform all of its dances from basketball games throughout the year.
"We organize it because it's a great way to get the student body involved with the Dance Team and on campus," senior Caity Walsh, co-captain of the Dance Team, said.
The Dance Team's efforts to get the student body involved in activities on campus were creatively demonstrated in the flash mob (a group of people performing a spontaneous and unexpected dance) performed during the Pilots vs. Gonzaga men's basketball game on Feb. 3.
"We coordinated the flash mob as one of our biggest efforts in trying to get our name out and improve our image," Hunnicutt said. "We wanted to get UP more involved with Dance Team. About 90 students were involved in that performance, and we got a lot of good feedback from the school and community members. We got the idea from Bryan Brenize, who saw the flash mob on ‘Modern Family,' and got really excited about performing one on campus."
The elimination of the cheer squad has left Dance Team members with their hands full. They took on the responsibilities of sideline cheering and incorporating pom-poms into their routines. Its status as a club instead of a sport means the Dance Team does not have a coach, so the captains are responsible for organizing practices with 15 girls and coordinating with the Athletic Department about performances.
The Dance Team is working hard to raise money for its trip to Las Vegas in March to attend the WCC tournament with the men's and women's basketball teams.
"We have been doing everything we can to raise the money for the team," Hunnicutt said. "We ran two kids' camps, helped out at a Blazer game and did three cleanup projects."
Through all their hard work, the team members have spent a good deal of time getting to know one another.
"We do a lot of team bonding," senior captain Amy Tolman said. "We try to have fun while getting work done."
After perfecting a routine for a game, the team celebrates together.
"We love to have dessert nights, games, movie nights and sometimes we have cookie parties," Walsh said. "Those are really fun."
(Bryan Brenize -- The Beacon)
