Photo by: Special to the Clarion
Members of the University of Denver Competitive Dance Team proved they were not a one-minute miracle last Saturday, as they performed a hip-hop routine to “One Minute Man” and “A.M. to P.M.” for halftime at the women’s basketball game.
Led by team President Candace Caulkins, the dance team has come a long way. The student organization that used to offer few opportunities to perform has become a valuable addition to the club sports scene.
The team started performing at Pioneer games last year, then nearly doubled its appearances at games this year. It has proven its endurance with appearances at men’s and women’s basketball games, gymnastic meets and the DU Dance Collective spring show.
“I’m really proud of the team this year,” said Caulkins. “Everyone is working very hard. I’m lucky to have so many talented dancers on the team.”
The dancers on Saturday started off enthusiastically, but they hit some rocky areas later in the routine.
“This was a new routine for us, and the first performance is always a little rough,” Caulkins said.
Their moves included a triple pirouette, a backward leap and a complicated turn sequence.
The dancers included Caulkins, Heather Mueller, Jessica Giess, Alina Fowler, Annie Hellerstein, Selina Nightengale, Nastasia Liavas and Stephanie Filo-Jones.
The team practices 3-5 times a week for 2-3 hours per practice. They have a coach who teaches the choreography, which is entertaining to watch and appears challenging to perform.
“The dance is so much fun to perform because it’s upbeat, and has a unique hip-hop style to it,” said freshman Mueller.
Goals for the team are to increase its presence in the DU community and to attend a convention and competition in March and April. Caulkins is working strenuously to get the team off of the ground and is making strides in seeing that happen.
“I want to share the fun and beauty of dance with DU students. That’s why I work so hard to make the dance team a recognized club sport on this campus. I also want the team to be stable so when I leave it will continue to grow.”
The attendance at the game was not high, but the dancers’ spirits certainly were.
So even if you’re not incredibly interested in sports, come to an athletic event for a taste of the more artistic side.
Find out more about the dance team by visiting the website www.recreation.du.edu.
