By Nate Maki | Staff Writer
Baylor Country Dance Club (CDC) is a student-led organization dedicated to providing its members with the opportunity to learn and practice various styles of country dance, including two-step and line dancing. The club is accommodating to students of all experience levels and hosts various events throughout the semester.
This semester, the CDC will have their first meeting on Jan. 29 at the Barfield Drawing Room in the Student Union Building from 9-10 p.m., with weekly meetings at the same time and place.
“We always have a beginner and an advanced circle to separate by skill level,” San Antonio junior and CDC President Arin Ury said. “There are about 12 officers including myself, and every week we teach two moves and a line dance. People usually go to [Melody Ranch] the next day and use what they learned with us.”
Alongside their weekly meetings, the CDC has been known to host formals, dance competitions and workshops for aspiring dancers.
“Our club has grown immensely in the past two years,” Ury said. “We used to have around 50 members, and now we’ve sprung up to 400 or 500. I really love to watch it grow. It feels like raising a child.”
The CDC was founded in 2018, making it young compared to some other clubs on campus. During that time, they have partnered with other organizations like Kappa Alpha Theta and Music and Memory, as well as marching in the homecoming parade.
San Francisco senior and CDC Vice President Rylee Grace Powell said the group is a space for all dancers to learn and grow.
“Usually, we have more freshmen than anyone else, but everyone is welcome,” Powell said. “We just want to make a fun and safe environment for people to learn how to dance. Whether you want to come and meet some people, learn a couple of moves or even take this on as a real hobby, we want to provide that space.”
The CDC also hosts separate events called Aerial Clinics, where more experienced members can practice aerial maneuvers with a partner. These events are held each Sunday in the Marrs Mclean Gym at 2:30 p.m., starting on Feb. 2.
“The Aerials Clinic is really when I fell in love with the Country Dance Club,” Powell said. “We didn’t have any two-step in California, so it was a learning experience, but I just thought it was so fun. I met most of my friends there, and it’s really where I got plugged in at Baylor.”
Those interested should stay in touch with the club through their GroupMe and Connect page.
