Fusion, a campus dance team that features a hip-hop hybrid style, is back for a new season. The unaffiliated student organization “gets together to have fun” – and create a product it can be proud of as well.
“This Saturday, we’re performing at Touch Lounge, a club near the airport,” Sarah Enteen, a senior in biology and the director of Fusion, said. “We’ll also be performing at [an Asian Students Association event] next weekend to promote the club.”
Enteen said Fusion has helped her to see “what’s out there,” and that it offers a good message for students.
“Fusion is ever-evolving,” Enteen said. “We’ve become so much more cultured than we were before. We represent so many cultures on our team,” Enteen said. “We have Korean, Chinese, Indian, White, Black – all of which come in handy when we’re trying to incorporate everyone’s backgrounds into our dances.”
Each dance is made by a different choreographer. Sam Kim, a junior in communications, choreographed a dance to a Janet Jackson song with his brother, which is one of the numbers Fuzion will perform Saturday.
“We really liked the beat. We wanted it to challenge us – we manipulated the beat, used the lyrics and used it to its potential,” Kim said.
Kim eagerly anticipated the start of a new season for Fusion. Even though it requires a significant time commitment, he enjoys seeing what he and the other group members have in store.
“I love starting each new year, to see how many people have joined and the new pieces we’re going to make, seeing what shows we’ll do,” Kim said. “It’s always fun.”
Fusion carries members from all varied dancing backgrounds. Kim said beginners are often frustrated while trying to learn the club’s hybrid style, but they just have to stick with it.
“When people first start dancing, they feel stupid, not knowing what they’re doing, not knowing how the body works,” Kim said. “As long as you go for it, you’re going to start feeling the music more.”
Auditions for open spots are ongoing. Tommy Barrow, a junior in biochemistry, said anyone with a background in dance who is interested in learning moves from around the world should try out.
“It’s hard work, but you’ll learn so much,” Barrow said.
