Many individuals, especially young adults, enjoy dancing for fun even if it is not in a professional or competitive setting. Dancing can be a relaxing outlet for stress, an effective learning experience or simply an enjoyable way to literally move within a community of others. California Baptist University’s Dance Club gives students the chance to experience all of this.
Zachary Foster, co-founder and choreographer of the Dance Club, explained that he decided to start the club because he realized that CBU did not have one after attending a club fair. He said he was devoted to sharing his passion for dance with others, so he applied and got the club approved.
Foster emphasized that anyone is welcome to join, whether they have had dance experience or not.
“We work hard to make sure that members are having a great time by creating a very entertaining and high-energy environment for everyone. We try to push people out of their comfort zones by allowing them to perform the choreography they had just learned and grow in self-confidence,” Foster said.
Foster explained that the purpose of Dance Club is to create a place where people can feel welcome, cared for and free to express themselves. During Dance Club, the choreography is taught all together with breaks in between for rest and socializing. Then, the dancers break into smaller groups and perform the choreography in the center of a circle.
Ivana Mazariegos, sophomore communication studies major and social media director for Dance Club, records members in these small groups and chooses a video at random to post on the club’s Instagram page, @cbudanceclub. She said she is excited to see how this club will continue to grow.
“My favorite part about Dance Club is that everyone is invited. Dance is a universal language that can bring everyone together to have fun and de-stress. At Dance Club, students can forget about the craziness in our everyday lives,” Mazariegos said.
Dance Club is a way for people to learn and grow in the area of dance. Mazariegos said she often notices improvement in members that attend consistently. Dance Club is a space for people to discover a passion for dance, regardless of their starting skill level.
Phoebe Arevalo, sophomore communication studies and philosophy double major, said she found out about Dance Club through a friend and loved attending. She has had no professional dance experience but she has participated in color guard, she is also the founder of a dance ministry at her church.
“At Dance Club, everyone was at different levels but was so open to learning and having fun. I loved hearing everyone cheer each other on. All of us were at different levels, but that didn’t stop or differentiate anyone. We just had fun and made it ours,” Arevalo said.
Dance Club occurs on Fridays from 4–6 p.m. in Health Science G122. Newcomers are welcome to join at any time.
