Writing
Mrs. Bowels
17 October 2012
Dancers United
Its eleven pm on a Wednesday night we had been practicing since seven pm. Sweatpants getting rolled up, girls coming down to the bare minimums of a sports bra; boys in basketball shorts and a wife beater. Counts are being called out “5, 6, 7, 8”, Brittany says, attitude hit our face dramatically arms go in a full spin on the side around four times straight into a salute stand. Hard breathing, hearts going hundred miles per hour as if we just ran form Freddy or Jason for our lives. We now have less than a month before our first performance of the season as Dancers United 2012-2013.
I just want to give you a little background on dancing so you can understand what Dancers United do and why we call ourselves dancers. Dance has many definitions, Google defines dance as moving rhythmically to music typically following a set sequence of steps. Dictionary.com defines it as to move one’s feet or body, or both, rhythmically in a pattern to steps, especially to the accompaniment of music (Dictionary.com). My personal favorite definition of dance is a nonverbal communication. To me dance is a form of communication, the way you sway your hands across the air and bring them around down to your side; with your face with a distinctive look of joy is telling a story without one word coming out your mouth. That’s what we do in Dancers United we tell a story without opening our mouth.
Dancers United is a RSO on the campus of University of Central Arkansas, and caters to the physical art of dancing. The purpose of Dancers United is to merge the different dance styles and capabilities on the campus through performance and community service according to the constitution. Our main genre is Hip-Hop, but we also do other forms of dancing such as ballet, tap, jazz, pom, lyrical, poetry and dance. Anything that comes to mind, Dancers United does it. We also do other forms of art; in the spring time when we have our biggest show and during the show we have intermissions. Intermissions are the time we the dancers take a break, and during that time we need someone to entertain the audience. That’s where non dancers come in place. As in singing, poetry, freestyle, or even telling jokes. Many people don’t have to dance to be in Dancers United. We also have makeup artist and our wardrobe coordinator, so if you have a gift in that field you can become a member of Dancers United.
Membership to the Dancers United is open to all students enrolled at the University of Central Arkansas (Constitution). To become a member of Dancers United we have an interest meeting at the being of the year. He or she can attend the first meeting to find out information about Dancer’s United. Once they are interested he or she has three practices, which are called “Open Practices”. These practices determine peoples interest in the organization, on the fourth practice we have “Due Day”, this day is the day they pay their dues which are fifteen dollars. Once paying dues they are now a member of Dancers United for one academic school year.
Now that they are a member of Dancers United they have to take time to sacrifice certain things to maintain being an active member. All members and officers must participate in the community service project at the end of the spring semester, participate in at least one dance show, and have no more than three unexcused absences (Constitution). No one can stop being a member of Dancers United once they pay their dues, unless they fail to meet the requirements, and a two- thirds vote must be obtained to remove the individual. Not showing up for practice can lead to a result of him or her not performing. If we have twelve practices in a month and he or she only show up to four and the performance is around the corner, Brittany will tell him/her or them that they can’t dance in the show. They can wait until the next performance that we have and dance, but they must attend practice.
Dancer United has two forms of meetings. 1. Regular Meetings. 2. Called/ Special Meetings. Regular meetings of the Dancers United are held once per week, time and place to be decided at the first meeting of the academic year. Special meeting may be called by the president of majority of the officers. The purpose, time and place shall be stated in the call of the meeting and at least 36 hours written notice shall be given to all members in order for them to be penalized for attendance. (Constitution).
Brittany is our Choreographer, the person who creates a dance or routine. Her choreography is the art of creating dance; I sat down with Brittany just to find out a little information about her. It was a Tuesday night after practice students running around excited, because we just learned the rest of our routine. All we can hear in the background is Beyonce Who Run the World I loudly ask,
“Hey Brittany how are you tonight?” She looks at me closely and says
“I’m wonderful how are you doing?” I replied,
“Good! So my first question is what made you start dancing?”
Rapidly over excited she said, “I’ve always danced, when I was younger I use to put on shows and act like I was someone famous and dance for my parents.” We burst into laughter, because I remember doing the same thing when I was younger. We simmer back down as I ask the next question,
“Is being a choreographer full time or part time?” I said.
She replied back, “Well I’m a full time student, there for chorographer is part time.”
“How did you get involved with Dancers United and you’re not a student on campus” I asked waiting patiently as she helps one of the members out on the dance routine.
“Well back at home I helped Samantha with her dance group, so when she came up here to UCA she just asks me can I help out with Dancers United when they became an RSO.”
Samantha, Sam for short is one of the founders of Dancers United, also along with Demarcus “Akon” and Aries. I got the chance to have a conversation with them about Dancers United. We set in a group in the Student Center during x-period as I try to get more information on Dancers United. We sat at a round table in front of the food court. Sam sat in front of me with a long black dress with blue, yellow and red flowers going up the side. Akon sets on the left of me with khaki cargos on with a black and gold Alpha Phi Alpha shirt on and a black hat.
I ask Sam, “What was the name of the group when you started dancing?”
“Unlimited, five girls, Four from Hall High School and one from Parkview Magnet School.” Sam said. Then I turn around to the left side of me and ask Akon the same question “What was the name of the group when you started dancing?”
“Topnotch, but more of a hype group that had people in the group that could dance, it came from our first homecoming performance in 2008” He replied. Dancers United was two different groups before actually becoming Dancers United.
“When and why did y’all put the groups together?” I asked Sam commented, “Sophomore year, we decided to come together. Aries wanted to reach out to people that was not in one of the groups.”
So I turned to ask Akon “When did you start dancing?”
“I started dancing at like 8 or 10 and didn’t start get professional help until I was 14 and my dance teacher in high school, Mr. Davis coached me too.” He said
I thought that was cool, because Dancers United not only has people that can just dance, because that’s something they like to do, but also has professional help in dancing; therefore, they are educated on dance. “What does D.U mean to you?” I asked Sam and Akon Sam replied with a huge smile on her face, “Personally, It’s my baby! I help found it with my lovely best friend. School Level, It’s a place where you can come out and express yourself!” Akon then response to my question, “It means experiment” I asked “Why?”
He said, Different people are able to dance even if they don’t have any experience or without the proper equipment.”
“How did Dancers United become an RSO on campus?” I asked
Sam said, Aries wrote the constitution, presented to SGA, and became an RSO in 2009.
It’s about twenty minutes into the interview and Aries comes up with black leggings on with a blue undershirt and a red and white stripe shirt on and sat down on the right of me.
I asked Aries, “How many performance do Dancers United have a year?” “It depends on who wants us to perform at the event.” She said in a gentle voice “But we range from twenty to fifty performances in an academic year.” My next question was, “When did Dancers United have their first performance and what was the biggest performance Dancers United had?” Akon replies, “Homecoming 2009 in Ida Wald for the homecoming step show.” He looked at Aries and her that she could take the next question. She said, “Every year during spring semester we have a show that we host to show people what we have learned all year, so that is our biggest show.” Me, personally, when it comes to Dancers United I love it! I heard about Dancers United my freshman year second semester when they had their spring show. My friend Shay was in RUSH with me and told me about how she was in a dance group and how me and my friends should come watch the show. I said cool, ill check y’all out. From the first time they stepped out on the stage I knew that this is something that I would like to be involved in. I can tell that they were having fun doing something that they like to do. When we came back to School August 2012 and UCA had Conway daze I had to go find the Dancers United tent and sign up. That was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Dancers United is so much more than just dancing, and showing off your talent. But it’s truly a family! You build a bond with people that you would have never guess in a million years you would even say one word to. I love going to practice seeing my Dancers United family. It’s a time where I can just be myself and do what I love, which is dancing.
Dancers United is a wonderful RSO to join. Starting off as two separate dance groups who came together as one, Dancers United grew from a handful of people to nearly fifty people a school year. To me Dancers United isn’t just a dance group, it’s a family. I can honestly say that I have met so many people and when I need help they are always there. To me that is what a family is, people who support each other through thick and thin. I would recommend anyone who has an interest in dance, or even just helping out during shows to become a part of Dancers United. Not because it’s something to do, but because we are a family.

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