By Camille Kelly | Reporter
The Baylor Urban Dance Society (UDS) has been around for over 16 years, embracing dancers of all skill levels and meeting every Wednesday at 6 p.m. The group delves into a range of styles, from hip-hop and jazz to funk and other urban dances.
This year, they have continued to grow in influence, performing for the first time at Diadeloso this April. The group will also be featured in a variety of other events at the Bill Daniel Student Center, various campus events and at “A Night Under the Stars” last fall.
According to Allen freshman Zoë Pitan, social events intern for UDS, the club welcomes anyone who would like to learn a new dance, regardless of their skill level.
“Every week we have a new person teaching a new dance,” Pitan said. “I’ve taught a couple times, and the other officers and regular members have taught. You just come in, do a stretch together and then we start dancing.”
Houston senior Isla Ritchie, UDS president has been a part of the group since she was a freshman.
According to Ritchie, what makes the club unique from other dance organizations on campus is the opportunity to learn a wide range of different dance styles.
“We incorporate a lot of variety into our dances,” Ritchie said. “Since it’s urban, there’s an umbrella of so many different styles. Some people do popping and locking, some people are more groovy, or there’s all these different types of dances, and you get to learn all of them. It’s a great way to get a good exposure.”
Last year at “A Night Under the Stars,” UDS won second place with the help of Ritchie’s support and leadership, although she was not able to perform at the time as she was recovering from surgery.
“The fact that I could see it and just enjoy it from a leadership point of view and watch them grow warmed my heart,” Ritchie said. “It made me so proud to see that they got second place.”
Ritchie elaborated that being a member of the group has brought her lasting memories.
“Performing and practicing are my favorite pastimes in general, so to practice and perform with UDS is just an honor, and it’s so much fun,” Ritchie said.
In the future, Ritchie hopes the club will continue to perform at larger events and even partner with Gather Dance, a club that teaches students a variety of genres, for a special showcase in the coming year.
Pitan said they welcome people with no dance experience and encourage anyone interested to join them for a fun time.
“It’s like a big friend group, and everybody’s very accepting because we want people to come and bring their friends,” Pitan said. “We treat it like a class where you’re learning to dance, but everybody is very social and having fun with each other and making jokes as we’re learning and practicing.”
