Students Middance the night away

Author: Beth Connolly

What if dancing were banned at Middlebury? Students would respond with a series of ten dances, with bright costumes and a bit of glitter. That is, according to the MIddance Spring Show last Saturday night.

The show opened to a packed audience in the McCullough Social Space with a slideshow explaining the perilous situation Middlebury was faced with. After deciding to theme the show around a fictional ban on dancing, MIddance leaders were surprised to find that dancing had actually been banned on campus in the 1960's: the Middlebury College Rules of 1963 stated, "Dancing is not permitted in living rooms or dormitories."

In accordance with the theme, McCullough was decorated with spray-paint and many of the dances responded to the theme with a defiant attitude. The show even featured a special appearance by Barbara Doyle-Wilch, Dean of Library and Information Services, who found herself grooving across the stage, in blatant defiance of the ban on dancing. According to Lindsay Selin '10, the theme was not a success: "It was just a little too corny," Lindsay says. "It didn't really add much for me."

Mainly, the ten dances in the show benefited from the electric energy of their performers. The ensembles ranged in size from six to fifteen dancers. The night consisted almost entirely of hip-hop dances, with the exception of a stepping number, and one ballet-style hip-hop number. This created a continuity throughout the show, but featuring dances with more variety would have been an improvement.

"Participating in MIddance was a really enjoyable experience," says Nicole Williams '10, a dancer in "Wait a Minute" by the Pussycat Dolls. "It was a great atmosphere and I got to meet a great group of girls. This was my first time dancing and I surpassed my own expectations. I hope to participate in MIddance in the future, and to explore a different style of dance."

Tammy Maye '10 performed in three dances and co-choreographed one. She expressed similar enthusiasm for the MIddance organization. "I really like the premise of MIddance - it gives an opportunity to people who don't do RIDDIM or wouldn't be dancing otherwise to get their energy out, meet new people, and have a good time," Tammy says. She has been dancing since she was three and a half years old. Though she stopped dancing in high school, she danced in last semester's MIddance show. This semester was her first experience in choreographing. She worked with Janet Kang to choreograph the Pussy Cat Dolls number. "There is a lot involved in choreography. Basically, you have to make the least experienced dancer feel comfortable with the rhythm and moves of the dance," Tammy says.

This year, MIddance was led by Haley Gilbert '07.5 and Kerren McKeeman '07.5. Gilbert says, "The role of the board is to facilitate a way for different dances to come together in one performance and to provide an opportunity for people who have never danced and for people who are experienced dancers to perform for the student body." MIddance allows students of all levels to sign up to choreograph or perform in any dance number in their show. Once signups are complete, choreographers and dancers work together, independently of the board, and are responsible for their own costumes, soundtrack, and rehearsals.

According to tradition, MIddance donates all of the proceeds from its show to a charity. This year, the recipient was the Elm Street Project's "First-Time Renter's Program," a charity that works to prevent teen homelessness. This program houses young single mothers in the Elm Street Boarding House in Middlebury, helping them to balance parenting, education, and employment in a supportive atmosphere.

What stood out from the performance on Saturday night was the exuberance of the dancers. Their enthusiasm was infectious, and it created an undeniably positive vibe with the audience that made the show exciting to watch.