Making your way to the football game Saturday? Don’t be alarmed when you see dozens of people dancing like the un-dead while you’re enjoying your afternoon tailgate.
Eastern Michigan’s competitive dance team will “randomly” appear roughly between 1-3 p.m. in front of tailgaters, creating a flash mob outside of Rynearson Stadium before the 4 p.m. game against Toledo.
The nine-person team has been preparing for this event every Monday, by teaching students the Thriller dance moves it’s created, and is hoping to have a large showing at the game since it is recording the event and posting it up on YouTube.
“It’s a big opportunity for our student organization to get out and actually perform in front of our peers,” co-captain Colette Johnson said, “We can really show them what were all about.”
EMU’s competitive dance team was started four years ago by team captain Davie Campbell. The purpose of this student organization is to give students who still want to dance competitively at the collegiate level a place to do so without sacrificing too much of their college life.
Johnson, a third-year member of the team, said its specialty is hip-hop and jazz dance. The team also pays its own way by putting on fundraisers and getting sponsored by local businesses.
The competitive dance team has brought home the Kids Artistic Revenue Pro-Am title for its hip-hop routine two years in a row.
“We’re a very good team,” Johnson said.
KAR is a nationwide dance competition for students of all ages. It is in its 28th dance competition season and is divided in to age groups and categories of dance. The dance team also aims to participate in other similar national dance competitions such as Star Power and Star Systems.
But it isn’t all about the competition, members also make time to enjoy themselves.
“It’s a really fun team,” Johnson said. “I’ve made best friends from it that I will have for my entire life.”
Johnson, who has been dancing since she could walk, said her favorite type of dance is musical theater because you get to act it out.
Although this year’s tryouts are over, the team always is looking for more talent. Prospective team members should check out the dance video on YouTube and try to learn the moves, Johnson suggested, and if you feel comfortable with the dance, show up to one of the practices in the utility gym on the second floor of the REC/IM building, and the members will see how you fit.
“It’s a great way to meet new people,” Johnson said. “We want more people on our team.”
To learn more about the Eagles’ competitive dance team, or to view its schedule, visit www.eaglescompetitivedance.co.nr or e-mail the team at EMUDanceTeam@yahoo.com.
