Kyla Threlfall
Mrs. Radley
Writing 150
January 26, 2012
So BYU Thinks It Can Dance...
Dance is a part of many people's lives. Many of us, including myself, have studied the technique of contemporary, lyrical and jazz at dance studios. We dedicated time, money, physical and emotional energy and gave up social activities to fulfill our passions. As we graduated from high school and our studios, we moved on to college and still wanted to pursue our passions of dance. We studied and researched all the different teams available here at BYU. We found many options, but none that fit the criteria of what we had put so much time and dedication into. The BYU Dance Department needs a new dance team that helps dance students progress in contemporary, lyrical and jazz technique that is taught in studios all over the country, because there is not a team like this available, the high interest overrides budget concerns and training in the past will not go to waste.
Young Ambassadors, Contemporary Dance Theater, Kinnect, DanceEnsemble, Cougarettes, Folk Dance, Ballroom and Theater Ballet are all options. All of these teams are wonderful but none of them are the kind of lyrical and jazz we have come to thrive on. For Young Ambassadors you must have a good voice as well as be able to dance. Contemporary Dance Theater is not made for getting contracts after college and it is exclusively modern. Cougarettes are now part of the athletic division and have focused their attention on athletic support and combine drill and cheer-like movements into their repertoire. Even with all the options available, none of them are the kind of dance we are longing for. We need a team that can practice and perform concerts with technique-based contemporary, lyrical and jazz dance.
I know as BYU's Dance Department, you meet regularly to discuss and overcome issues of the dance program. I have talked to many others about this situation and have gotten their consent. They often feel like their technique is now going to waste. Megan Walker, a pre-Dance Education major, says, “While it is good to have the teams that BYU currently has, I think it would improve the dance department if there was more diversity... I am used to doing all styles of dance. That's what I miss most after leaving the studio I started dancing at and my high school dance company.” Sierra Camp, along with a group of friends, has created a jazz dance team outside of BYU because BYU doesn't offer such a thing. It is called “TheVerveMovement” and she plans practices, performances and events for this team. Sierra says, “TheVerveMovement is all about getting a chance to use our studio training we've grown up with while still remaining open to the training we get at college. This company was formed because BYU didn't necessarily have the kind of performing company that danced the way we wanted to dance. BYU has a great dance program, it is simply missing some pieces of the puzzle... so we went out on our own!” So far this group has had some bumps along the road such as getting faculty support, but it has been a success and very fulfilling undertaking so far! I am hoping to join this group this next fall semester.
Joining a team such as “TheVerveMovement” may seem like a solution to my problems but there are still obstacles. As a freshman, I do not have a car and can only get to places that are in walking distance. If practices or events are out of this distance, I may not be able to attend. It will also be a lot of time outside of school. I am already very busy with school, homework, church callings, work and extra-curricular activities. BYU teams take up time as well but if they are on campus they are much easier to attend and less time consuming. As a member of the dance program, I also want to support BYU teams. Trying to do a BYU team as well as an outside team such as TheVerveMovement would dominate too much of my time.
The question of money and budget may be brought up. Is there enough money in the budget? This is a question I cannot answer as I do not have access to this information. However, I do know with enough participation, a new team would be worth it. Watching as jazz classes fill up so quickly during registration, I know the interest in a new team would be high. Fundraisers and donations are also always options to help a program get up and running.
There are jazz dance classes available at BYU which teach studio technique. But as mentioned above, they fill up very quickly. Also, as great as these classes are, the technique obtained is not put into play on a team. If the content learned is not used for a team, why do we have them? Lauren Askew, a folk dancer, says, “classes can only go so far. The performance element really is what I love about it, and I wish that I had a chance to perform or compete on a team... How cool would if be to be a part of a team of something that I've grown up doing?” How you take the class is up to you, while a team is not. You can try your hardest in a class but when technique is used on a team you are pushed and you know you cannot let your team down. They are all counting on you. Frequent rehearsals that teams require also help to keep your technique consistent. Consistency is vital for improvement in a dancer.
The past two years I have attended the auditions for Tuacahn, an outdoor amphitheater in St. George, Utah. Two years ago my audition went very well and I made it in! Even though I was not able to take the engagement as I was still graduating from high school, I know it was my technique and teams I was involved in at the time that helped me do so well. At the time of the audition I was dancing on the highest team at a pre-professional studio called, “Studio One Dance Center” in Orem, Utah and was president of my high school dance company. These two companies left me at dancing a total of about 25 hours a week. This year I auditioned again and did well but my dancing was not in tip-top shape as it had been before. After graduating from high school as well as my dance studio, I only took modern classes at BYU. I could not get into either a ballet or jazz class as I am a freshman and have last priority for registration. Because of this, I had not lost all of my technique but it had digressed--resulting in my poorer performance.
I have had a hard time not being able to do the kind of dance that I love and have treasured. As you begin college, everything is changing. Despite the change around me, I hoped the kind of dance I had studied would still be there, only to be disappointed. I know that I am only a freshman and have participated on just one of these teams mentioned. Nevertheless, I have researched each team and have come to find that none of them fit the criteria of contemporary, lyrical and jazz technique. Though some may disagree with me, a new performing dance team consisting of these styles would be a great benefit to BYU. Many others agree with me and some have even taken action and created their own teams, independent of BYU. Though money may seem like a problem, it can be arranged. Jazz classes unfortunately do not provide enough push for technique, as a team would. Auditions can help lead to bigger and better things, but only if they go splendidly. Dance teams that are based on lyrical and jazz technique can help this be accomplished. As I hear about dancers who have had to give up what they have cherished, it scares me to wonder if I may have to do this as well. I hope that you see my concerns and actions will be taken on this dilemma.
Thanks for reading!! :)
No comments:
Post a Comment