Hi Everybody!
With the Salsa formation team in full Swing (ha ha; little joke there :-)
and with so many new club members from our successful summer classes, there
has been tremendous interest in starting a second formation team; a Swing
formation team.
The new DI Swing Formation Team will hold its Organizational Meeting at
8:10 pm, Thursday, September 26 in the Freer Hall lounge. There, we will
discuss plans and goals for the Swing Team, plus accept nominations for
team leaders. Yahna Awazu, co-captain of the DI Salsa Formation team and
Dancing Illini PR Chairperson, will start off the meeting by describing
what is involved in setting up a formation team.
A formation team is a group of dancers who learn a choreographed dance
routine and give performances. You typically spend a few weeks learning
the routine, and then a few weeks honing your dancing skills. There is
something in it for everyone. The team can even get costumes from
Krannert.
The team would perform in a minimum of 3-4 shows throughout the year: the
Dancing Illini Invitational dance competition, The Ohio State and Notre
Dame dance competitions in the Spring (transportation will be provided),
Quad day 97, etc.
The team leader's job involves collecting names, finding a choreographer,
working with the choreographer to pick music/dances, finding a coach, and
scheduling coaching sessions and practices.
I'll pass along these options that the team leaders/members can discuss:
I have a video of a national swing competition that features several Swing
formation teams, to give you an idea of what can be done.
Amy Berger has a Swing routine that she choreographed 2 years ago when
she organized a previous DI formation team. It's ready to go and do-able.
Amy would be happy to teach the routine.
I can provide a long list of excellent Swing dance coaches in
Indianapolis and St. Louis.
Being a member of a formation team is a lot of fun and you're guaranteed to
make a bunch of close friends. Come to the meeting and take the reins, or
just be a part of it!
See you there!
Mark