<p>Hey all,
I'll be a freshman at Grinnell in the fall (still so excited to be able to say that!!), and I love everything I know about it so far. However, one thing I can't seem to get much info on is the dance scene there. Dancing is what I do, and I would be really happy if I could get an idea of how prevalent it is on campus. I'm not a ballerina, I do mostly modern, African, and hip-hop. I've tried capoeira in the past, and I'm excited that Grinnell has a capoeira club (is that still active?).
So far, I've emailed the head of the dance department with my questions, but only got a link to the dance section of Grinnell's website--and it was pretty sparse. So what's the deal with dance there--are there hip-hop dancers? Are there opportunities for non-ballerinas? Is the capoeira club still active?</p>
<p>I’m an upcoming freshman as well, and I’m into hip-hop as well. I also did capoeira earlier, but plan to return to it. :)</p>
<p>I’d like to see an answer to this thread as well!</p>
<p>I know nothing about this, except to say that you likely can start your own club and get funding. You already have 2 members.</p>
<p>You could also run an “exco,” which means “experimental college.” These are classes taught by students and professors for fun, really. I know there was an Israeli dancing one, for example. Capoeira is something that maybe you could coordinate through the International Students organization. And, if it’s something you’re interested in learning more about, I’ll be you could do some sort of individual study project. You could also work with the group that brings activities on to campus to see about getting a dance group to come; or work with the Dance department. </p>
<p>The point we are making is that if it’s not there now, then take some steps to generate interest and bring people together who might want to pursue / learn more. That’s the kind of place Grinnell is! It’s not static; it’s defined by the students who are there!</p>
<p>well, I stumbled across an answer for you regarding capoeira! I was reading the current issue of “Mosaic,” the student-edited magazine regarding International Affairs, and look what I found: “Grinnell’s Copoeira club has grown significantly in the last year, and more
people show up regularly. In the second weekend of February, nine of us
traveled to Cedar Falls, Iowa, to attend a Batizado - an event hosted by the
local Capoeira schools where its students were given the opportunity to
gain their first, or higher cord. We enjoyed several workshops, gained
some sore muscles, and had a great time meeting other Capoeiristas and
Mestres.”</p>
<p>btw, this magazine is really worth reading, and I think I’m going to post this link elsewhere on CC:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.grinnell.edu/files/downloads/MOSAIC%20Spring%202011.pdf[/url]”>http://www.grinnell.edu/files/downloads/MOSAIC%20Spring%202011.pdf</a></p>
<p>looks like Capeoira Club practices every Sunday night, at least according to the college’s daily calendar of events.</p>
<p>Yaaaay Capoeira interested people - we need you!! </p>
<p>One of the instructors is graduating while the two others will be seniors and may not have the time to teach all the time.
There is a core group of about 5-8 of us who show up more or less regularly and plan on continuing next year. Since almost none of us has too much experience outside of Grinnell it would be awesome since we got more people who have trained more than we did.
I will most likely not be here next semester but nearly everybody else should be and currently plans exist to continue meeting. Seriously though, we are having too much fun as a group to stop meeting.
Especially now that we are in touch with the Capoeira Club from Cornell College and have been invited to several Capoeira evens in Iowa. </p>
<p>So yes, Capoeira club is still active and will continue.</p>
<p>@ SDonCC and _Silence–Thanks for the advice–I’m glad capoeira is active there–I most likely will be joining that. Do you guys also think that there’s a “market” for hip-hop on campus? Would it be possible, if I could gather enough interested people, that I could petition for hip hop (and other dance styles) to be added to the curriculum, and for teachers to be brought in (maybe for second semester, or starting next year)?</p>
<p>I’m with you Heymrdj, I think it would be more than possible. Go hip hop!</p>