Lizzy Donker
Junior Editor
Sewanee students involved in the dance program have recently started offering dance classes that are open to anyone, or “dance classes for non-dancers,” in a different dance style every Tuesday.
Dance Fellow, Talia De La Cruz (C’26), is one of the dancers who has been getting this program started and teaching classes. “We kind of felt like there was a lack of opportunities for people that don’t want to take a dance class for credit…so we had to take [the] initiative,” De La Cruz said.
After talking to Associate Professor and Director of Dance Courtney World, De La Cruz said they have been working with Emma Ross-Sermons (C’23), Suzanne Cole (C’26), and Izzy Grass (C’26) to make the program a go. De La Cruz also said that “anyone who has an interest in teaching” can teach a class as well.
One of their recent classes was a ballroom dancing class, which De La Cruz said had a turnout of “around 20 people, including professors, and so many couples.” The class was held in Convocation Hall and just in time for Valentine’s Day, and “had a great turnout.”
As far as the classes go, “It’s super open level,” said De La Cruz. “Experience is absolutely not necessary. Some people come in being super professional dancers and some people come in having never danced in their life.” De La Cruz said that in every class, they “follow the level of the least experienced person,” and “the whole idea of it is that you don’t have to take something super hard to be involved in the dance program…it’s all student-led.”
“It’s very low stakes, you can come to one class or every class, whatever you want,” De La Cruz said.
So far, they have taught modern dance, jazz dance, and ballroom dancing. A different style of dance class is taught each Tuesday from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Tennessee Williams Center dance studio. Next week, a dancer will be teaching a contemporary dance class. Whether you are an experienced ballerina, just want to get some exercise, or maybe just want to try something new, come take one of Sewanee’s dance programs’ student-led classes next Tuesday.