'Kicking' off the new year

As a tall blue and yellow inflatable sky dancer was whisked in every direction by the steady wind Friday afternoon, students clad in tae kwon do suits and fencing apparel threw Frisbees and rugby balls and passed out information about their club or sport.\nThe sixth annual RecFest featured an afternoon of fun, fitness and free food. Held around the vicinity of the HPER building, RecFest allowed new and returning students to explore the many club and intramural sports possibilities offered on campus.\nNot only were there tables set up for each club sport providing information on how to join, but a demonstration stage and mat were set up at the event giving a taste of what students can become involved in.\nDemonstrations of hip-hop, yoga, swing dancing, kickboxing, ballroom dancing and other activities each had a slot during the event to give a sneak peek into their activity or sport.\nEverything from the tae-bo, horseback riding, lacrosse, aquatics and fencing clubs set up shop at RecFest, introducing to students the opportunities obtained by participating in a club sport -- such as new friendships.\n"I've made a great group of friends here, we're all very close," said Kim Collins, a senior and president of the Women's Rugby Club.\nDuring the festival, B97 96.7-FM handed out bags filled with free goodies, and Marsh Supermarket cooked corn dogs for RecFest attendants.\nA milestone at this year's RecFest was the introduction of the IU's first break dancing club, which recently received its approval from the Club Sports Federation. Sophomore Julian Chunovic, founder and president of the IU Breakers, showed his skills on a nearby mat -- upside down and spinning on his head.\n"Break dancing is almost completely different than it was in the '80s," Chunovic said. "People don't have to know how to break dance to join the club, and it's really not just a sport, it's also part of our culture. There's so much behind it, and it's a fun thing for people to join.\n"What you see on MTV is just the easy stuff," he added jokingly.\nThe IU Fencing Club has been on campus for approximately a quarter-century, and organizers emphasized that there are only around 15,000 fencers in the whole country, which is why fencing is such an interesting sport to learn.\n"Really, anybody can fence," said senior and club president Robert Mixner. "It utilizes so many different things; you can be strong, fast, or agile and play up your own strength."\nFreshmen Joanna Szablewski and Becky Gensler wandered to the different tables and decided to sign up for something they hadn't yet tried.\n"I've never gone ballroom dancing before," Gensler said . "It seems really fun and I think it will be a good way to meet people."\nThe event, coordinated by the Division of Recreational Sports, was designed to help freshmen acclimate themselves to IU's large campus.\n"IU has around 36,000 students, and so many times freshmen are pretty intimidated or lost," said graduate student Dietrich Willke. "So getting involved with a club sport or intramural is a great way to narrow your scope and make friends"