Group dances on in 8th year as IU club

Break dancing: a form of solo dancing that involves rapid acrobatic moves in which different parts of the body touch the ground. \nThe IU Break Dance Club has been active for almost eight years. It was founded by a student who was looking for a way to meet other break dancers on campus. \n“I was dancing at a party one night and this guy comes up to me and says, ‘Hey, you know there’s a break dance club here?’” junior Sunni Ayelle said. “So I went and after that I couldn’t stop coming. I was addicted after the first practice.” \nThis club performs at a wide array of events, including the African Student Association fashion show, IU Dance Marathon and Relay for Life.\nBreak dancing takes a lot of strength, coordination, balance and agility to perform successfully. The club practices twice a week and occasionally on Saturdays in the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, but have a few complaints. \n“It’s typically fine regarding an issue with our space,” Ayelle said. “Sometimes our moves are a little dangerous, so we want the matted room. But to get the matted room you have to be higher up in the club ranking, so we usually get stuck with the racquetball room.”\nFreshman Justin Wolverton said his most memorable moment as a club was when they went to Illbreaks, a meet at the University of Illinois. \n“We saw a lot of really good break dancing and it was a good experience to see the more professional ones,” he said. \nWhile there are no classes offered at IU for break dancing, many members would like to see that change.\nWhen asked how long the average person has been break dancing and how they pick something such as this up, the general consensus of the club was most people get interested and join when they come to IU.\n“Somebody that was formerly into gymnastics or some form of dance before are likely to join, but it is not necessary. In our club right now we have members that range from eight years’ experience to someone who just started last week,” Wolverton said.\n“No background or experience is necessary, but good balance and flexibility will give you an edge on everyone else,” Avelle said.\nIf you are interested in joining this club you will need “a free-spirited, open mind,” Avelle said, and “a willingness to learn.”