Salve Sponsors “Let Loose Dance Troupe”

By: Stephanie Turaj
Posted In: Campus News

Salve Regina is helping to bring dancing dreams alive. “The Let Loose Dance Troupe,” sponsored by Salve’s CEC chapter and the SRU Dance Club, offers hour long inclusive dance lessons, free and open to the public. The troupe meets in the Antone Center dance studio Tuesdays at 3 p.m.

Currently around ten dancers, age 11 to 20, from the community attend. “Let Loose” is taught by seven volunteer Salve Regina dance students.

The inclusive dance troupe is a recreational program, but hopes to show off a dance routine in Salve’s April dance show.

“Let Loose” begins by meeting in a circle and playing “the name game.” After warming up, the Salve dance students teach the routine the group aims to perform. The students then take a break to play freeze dance. The dances are accompanied with songs such as “All That Jazz” and “I Like to Move It.”

“I like the class, and it is very fun, said dancer Contessa DeLeo. “I like to dance with my friend Michael. My favorite part is the freeze dance. It is a fun game.”

The dance troupe was formed with the inspiration by dancer Bailee Pacheco. Pacheco’s aide, Lindsay Barnier, explains that Pacheco’s mother wanted an opportunity for Pacheco to dance that has less structure.

“[Bailey’s mother and I] hope that Bailee forms new friendships, benefits from the social interactions and builds her own confidence,” Barnier said.

Victoria Villee, a senior, and CEC advisor Kathryn Rok helped organize the dance troupe, which will continue until the dance show in April. The dance troupe hopes to continue after this summer.

“It is so much fun to see [the students] having so much fun,” said volunteer dance instructor Kelley Hood, a senior.