New Club for All Types of Dancers Set to Open Next Year

By Mindy Ng

Do you love to dance but do not have the money, time, or means of transportation to take classes? Dance Club may just be the answer for you!

Every year at Berkeley High School, new fresh and exciting clubs are formed. Looking ahead to the next year, Berkeley International High School (BIHS) sophomore Serena Witherspoon and her brother Tariq Witherspoon, a junior in Communication Arts & Sciences (CAS), have begun planning for a new group called Dance Club. Serena said, “I wanted to start this club so that talented dancers would have a place to experience choreographing and learn choreography with other talented dancers at our school.” She continues, “I was inspired to start this club when I discovered how many amazing dancers I saw who didn’t get into the Dance Productions class. I hope some of those people will join Dance Club.”

While they are both dancers themselves, specializing in many different forms — Tariq in popping, roboting, and dubstep, and Serena in African, jazz, ballet, hip hop and modern — the pair hope to attract dancers of all different styles. “I’m hoping to get a diverse group of dancers, each of whom is dedicated to what they do,” Serena says. “I want this club to be as big as possible!

“Hopefully we can get a large group so that we can do several genres of dance with different dancers in every show.” Tariq adds, “I would like to have as many people as possible join, no matter what their experience level is or their style of dance.”

Foreseeing a typical meeting, Serena explains that each meeting will begin with organized stretching, followed by the students breaking off into groups to choreograph. It will conclude with these groups demonstrating and teaching their creations to the rest of the dancers.

The performances are to be solely student–choreographed, with one held in the winter and one in the summer, possibly in the Florence Schwimley Little Theater. Serena expresses her hopes, “I really want us to be able to put on shows as good as the Dance Productions show every year.”

Although this will be the first time that either of the two has tried to establish a new organization, their worries are minimal, with their only fear being that they will not be able to attract enough members. “I really want to have enough participants that we will be able to have entire shows’ worth of dances.” Other than that, Serena assures, “We’ve both had a lot of dance experience, so I think it should be fine.”

Tariq, as an experienced street dancer, hopes to find new dancers for his crew, Aspect. “My dance crew will be recruiting people from the club, so if you are good and would like to be in our videos please join!” Their videos can be seen on their Youtube channel, at http://www.youtube.com/user/WearetheAspects.

The club is expected to meet on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:45 to 5:30 P.M., although a location has yet to be chosen. “I hope anybody that wants to dance will join the club as long as they will show up and be committed to getting better,” Tariq stated.

Serena exhibits her enthusiasm for the future club: “Join if you love to dance! It’s going to be really fun!”