00000 0000

00

UT $4.50 ET $5.00

D A N C E A C R O S S C A M P U S

Exploring Cornell’s Dance TroupesSlope Media Spring 2012

Featured Dance Troupes: Beketsev Bhangra Big Red Raas Pandora Rise Shadow Teszia

Slope Contributers: Writers: Olivia Duell

Photographers: Olivia Duell Sarah Roger Victoria Sobel Sarah Sonenberg

Layout: Shah Ahmed

Slope Magazine Editorial Director: Lizzie Brooks

Slope spoke with 7 separate dance troupes about each group’ s styles, traditions, and backgrounds to discover the unique aspects that set each group apart from any other on campus.

SLOPE MEDIAExploring Campus Dance Troupes

Slope Contributers: Writers: Olivia Duell

Photographers: Olivia Duell Sarah Roger Victoria Sobel Sarah Sonenberg

Layout: Shah Ahmed

Slope Magazine Editorial Director: Lizzie Brooks

Big Red Raas

Beketsev

Shadow

Teszia

Pandora

Rise Bhangra

CONTENTS

BIG RED RAASTraditional Gujarati Indian + Modern

Big Red Raas is a co-ed troupe that incorporates modern dance forms into a traditional Indian dance style. The group takes pride in its student-taught and student-created choreography, as well as its

inclusivity of all types of dancers of any level of experience.

“One Team, One Love”Cornell Big Red Raas combines tradi-tional Gujarati style dance with more modern styles in order to share Gujarati culture with the Cornell community and in places throughout the country where the group competes. Indeed, the group is well traveled, and in the past has visited places including Los Angeles and Philadelphia for competitions and has placed well, winning second overall in their most recent competition in Philadel-phia.

Group members cite different reasons for joining: some want to spread aware-ness of the Gujarati culture through dance; others wanted to try something new in college, and thought the Raas ex-

perience would be fun. A few Raas boys jokingly explain the chance to dance with the Raas girls was their main reason for joining the troupe. Upon joining, mem-bers have various levels of experience, and members teach each other. The group practices up to six hours a week, and more around performance dates, so relatively inexperienced members have plenty of time to learn and challenge themselves.

Students can watch Big Red Raas per-form at their different events around campus, including Diwali Festival of Lights at Bailey, Sitara Night, and Fall Step.

BEKETSEV ISRAELI DANCE TROUPETraditional Israeli Line Dance + Modern

Beketsev Dance Troupe mixes traditional Israeli styles of line dance with other forms, including Latin, jazz, lyrical, modern, ballet, hip-hop,

and tap. This hybridization of styles enables Beketsev to reach a broad-er audience and share their unique culture with the Cornell community.

Beketsev arrived on campus in 2003 as a means to teach communal dance to a large group of interested participants. From this original community grew the Beketsev Latin-Israeli gym class as well as Beketsev Dance Troupe, a smaller group of dedicated members. The troupe’s unique combination of dance styles is relatively new, as the revival of Israeli line dance and its mixture with other dance forms developed only in the 90s and 2000s. Though it incorporates many styles, the troupe still uses and shares more traditional dance moves and styles, including the Dabke and Yemenite moves, with its audience.

Many members have prior dance experi-ence, but since the style is so varied, a wide range of dancers can audition and participate. Others have limited to no ex-

perience, and upon learning about Beket-sev’s unique dance style, wanted to try something brand new. It’s not necessary for members to have an Israeli or Jew-ish background to participate, and since members may choose which dances to participate in, it’s easy to dance at one’s appropriate level.

Beketsev performs at many campus events, including Relay For Life, night events at The Johnson Museum of Art, and others. In the past, the group has attended the Israeli Dance Festival in Boston. Additionally, Beketsev holds an International Spring Exhibition to show-case dance styles and groups from all around the world.

“With a Beat”

v

SHADOWS DANCE TROUPEStylistic, Sharp, and Sassy

Shadows Dance Troupe is an all-girl group with styles mixing contem-porary, lyrical, jazz, and hip-hop. The girls cite their strength as a group

as their ability to perfectly mix technique with performance quality. All members generally have a strong dance background, and the group

looks for new members with strong technique.

v

Shadows stresses not only technique, but also personality. When seeking members, they search for girls with both a spark of personality as well as a variety of dance ability. Members de-scribe their group as seductive, sharp, stylistic, and sexy, characteristics they aim to translate into their dance moves and choreography. One or two Shad-ows members choreograph and teach a routine, and thanks to the members’ high level of dance experience, at least half of the group choreographs pieces

during their time with the dance troupe. The group fields many requests to per-form around campus, and has partici-pated in events including Relay For Life, Big Red Relief, Fall Tonic, and sports games. Shadows also coordinates Cor-nell’s Fall Step event, the biggest dance show on campus, an annual charity concert which hosts other groups in Bai-ley Hall. In spring, they hold their own showcase, Spring Heat.

“Spunky Style”

vvvv

TESZIA BELLY DANCE TROUPETeszia Belly Dance Troupe is different from any other on Cornell’s cam-pus, and combines Tribal, Egyptian, Turkish, Cabaret, Fusion, Hip-Hop,

and Bollywood styles into their belly dancing routines.

Teszia challenges women in areas they probably have not yet faced, as many members have limited past experience with belly dancing. While members may or may not have an extensive dance background, all must possess or develop an ability to perform the group’s unique dance moves. Members take the challenge seriously, and all care extensively about perfecting their belly dance techniques and routines. This com-mon goal helps build a strong,

comfortable, confident community of women who are then able to share their love of belly dance on campus.

Look for Teszia’s performances throughout the year at orientation events, Cornell Days, and the Local-ly Grown Dance Festival. They also present their own Spring Shimmy, a themed event to showcase their troupe each year.

“Confident Community”

PANDORA DANCE TROUPEPandora Dance Troupe mixes jazz, hip-hop, lyrical, modern, ballet, and contemporary. This group of women is ready to

have fun while they show off their technical style.

Pandora, a female dance troupe, is student run, taught, and choreo-graphed. All members generally have a good deal of dance experience behind them, especially in ballet. Though classical training is gener-ally preferred, the girls do incorporate many different styles, and thus each member’s individual training and style helps contribute to the group’s routines. The girls of Pandora, while

dedicated to their craft, are ready to have fun and laugh throughout prac-tice, and thoroughly show their love for what they do.

See Pandora perform around campus in their spring fundraiser Spring Into Motion, and at guest performances including Ithacaid.

“Have Fun”

RISE DANCE TROUPERise is Cornell’s newest dance troupe. Still growing, this group of women combines contemporary, jazz, hip-hop, and lyrical styles,

and invites members of all dance backgrounds and levels of experience to participate, audition, and join.

Rise recently formed in Spring 2012 and had its first performance shortly after. The group began with four girls who fell in love with dance in gym class and decided to create a team more open for those who want to learn while dancing for fun. Rise focuses mainly on strengthening the individual through its routines and teamwork, and offers a supportive, community

feel to its members. Membership has quickly expanded, and now encom-passes a wide variety of girls who love dance and want to perform to grow.

Goals for the future of Rise include more performances, particularly a spot in the Locally Grown Dance Festival, as well as the group’s own showcase

“Girls Who Love Dance”

BHANGRABhangra shares its Northern Indian folk

style of dance with the larger Cornell com-munity, and spreads the love of this style

of dance in the group’s competitions across the country. Though the group aims to

make others aware of its culture, Bhangra incorporates modern American songs to

stand out and connect with the crowd.

Bhangra is a competitive dance troupe that frequently travels across America to compete throughout the country. In the past, the troupe has visited Bos-ton, Washington DC, Pittsburgh, and Vancouver. Their success and popularity is noticeable, as over 100 people come to tryouts each audition period. Surpris-ingly, not all members have ex-tensive dance experience, but all are enthusiastic about Bhangra’s

culture and opportunities to partic-ipate in a high-intensity, energetic dance style.

Each year, the troupe hosts its showcase, Pao Bhangra, an event that fills Barton Hall. Bhangra, other Cornell groups, and professional dance teams gather to perform together to a crowd of 3000. The experience is well worth the time!

“Spread the Love”

slopemedia group