When: Thursday, May 3 at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Physical Education Building
Studio 110
Price: Tickets available at the door for $5
Students taking various dance classes at the University of Idaho will have the opportunity to showcase what they have learned this semester during “Dance Off Hand” Thursday.
The biannual informal dance concert will be held 7:30 in the Physical Education Building studio 110 with tickets available at the door for $5.
Dance Off Hand is just one of several fundraisers put on by the Terpsichore Student Dance Organization at UI, a club for anyone majoring or minoring in dance.
The event is “formal-looking” but completely run by students, said Whitney Sumner, president of the organization.
Sumner said it serves as a chance for UI technique classes, like modern dance, ballet, jazz and hip-hop, to perform what they’ve been working on. She said this show, unlike a lot of other dance shows at UI, offers more variety in the styles of dance that are featured.
Sumner will be working the brand new lightboard during the event with Terpsichore’s Vice president, Taylor Eddleston.
“I really enjoy having the freedom to do whatever I want with the lighting,” Sumner said. “There’s no one up above telling me what to do. Being in charge of something can be overwhelming, but it’s a good experience.”
Eddleston said she plays a large part in running Dance Off Hand, and it requires a lot of communication between members, other officers, university faculty and students when helping it come together.
Sumner and Eddleston will also be in several dances representing multiple dance classes, both modern and ballet. Eddleston said she is looking forward to doing an improvisational dance solo to one of her favorite songs.
The family-friendly event will run for just over an hour, beginning with the presentation of scholarships and awards to the dance students and ending with a finale dance including every performer.
Sumner said Dance Off Hand supports Terpsichore’s main purpose — to raise funds to help dancers attend and represent UI’s dance program at the American College Dance Association (ACDA) conference each year.
Among the other fundraising events Terpsichore holds are calendar sales and pop-up clothing sales. The president and treasurer are in charge of applying for funding from the university.
“It’s great to be around other dancers that have the same goal and mindset, working together to raise a bunch of money,” Sumner said.
Eddleston, a sophomore majoring in dance and exercise science, has been involved with Terpsichore since she came to UI. She said while she was involved in sports during high school, Terpsichore is the first club she has ever joined.
In Terpsichore, Eddleston said she has learned more about what goes on behind the scenes in order to keep clubs running, and as vice president, she has learned business management skills like communication, event planning, fundraising and marketing.
“I’m totally a ‘type A’ person, so getting to plan things and organize things and schedule things is really fun to me,” Eddleston said. “Being able to do that for almost all of our events is fun. It keeps me on my toes and challenges me.”
Eddleston said Terpsichore is based around a points system. Each member pays a small club fee and then earns points by attending and participating in events. The more points a member gets, the more money they receive for attending ACDA.
She said Terpsichore is largely beneficial for dance students, primarily because it helps them raise funds to have “awesome experiences” in the region and other states. On top of that, the extra funds that are raised by the group go towards the dance program and helping to improve their facilities.
Terpsichore focuses on dance advocacy, Eddleston said, because dance is beneficial for every age as it plays a large role in both physical and cognitive development.
“Advocating to have dance incorporated into schools more is important,” Eddleston said.
Sumner, a junior majoring in dance and exercise science, said Terpsichore has tied her more closely to the dance program, making her more involved and causing her to pursue new opportunities and get involved on campus.
Sumner said it’s important for everyone to understand how integral dance is to the Department of Movement Sciences and to be exposed to more than what they are used to. Dance Off Hand is just one event that provides that opportunity.
“It’s fun,” Eddleston said. “You get to see your friends dance. You get to see different kinds of dances, the different personalities that people have on stage, and you get to hear different kinds of music.”
Jordan Willson can be reached at [email protected]