On Saturday, March 1, the Melee Dance Studio at Lawrence University held an enchanting showcase. For those uninformed, Melee is a studio chock-full of veteran dancers, passionate beginners and talented hobbyists. Their disparate specialties and interests result in dynamic shows that promote individual passions over any single, overarching theme. One dance may contain a large ensemble cast with costumes dancing to Bachata, while the next could be a duo performing their favorite K-pop routine. So that the magic of this group and their performance may be properly communicated, I conducted an interview with a few of Melee’s members. I hope these small vignettes serve as motivation to either see a future performance or join the ever-growing, ever-welcoming studio.
Interview: Jasmine Germany, sophomore
Danny Glasco: How did you come across Melee?
Jasmine Germany: Well, I’ve been to a couple shows and I got encouragement to join by some friends. I’ve also been a fan of K-pop since middle school, so I wanted to try it out.
DG: Tell me about your dance “Crazy” and the preparation that led up to the performance.
JG: “Crazy” is a song by K-pop group Le Sserafim, and it’s gone viral recently. The dance was led by [sophomore] Eli Tedesco. We had three veteran dancers and two new K-pop dancers, myself included. We started by watching videos of the idol group performing. From there, we each chose an idol to mock. Then we watched tutorial videos and practiced individually. During rehearsal time, we made sure our hands were in sync and that we worked well together as a group.
DG: What are you most proud of about this past showcase?
JG: It was a good opportunity for dancers to get their toes wet, introduce the audience to new dancers and set the year off for Melee, all in a casual and supportive atmosphere. I’m also proud of the leadership and care that the dance leaders put into Melee. One of our new dancers, Michael Diaz, joined our team within the last few weeks, and our team lead [Tedesco] made sure to practice with him outside the set rehearsal time to help him catch up and feel more confident in performing for his first time. I applaud [Tedesco] for her accommodation.
DG: What would you say to someone with interest in joining melee?
JG: Reach out to [club president senior] Dani [Boehm] or come to information sessions. Try a dance that you have interest in, or join a group with a friend, or invite a friend to join a dance with you. Also, don’t forget to smile because you look great no matter what.
Interview: Micheal Greenland, junior
Danny Glasco: How did you come across Melee Dance Studio and what dance were you a part of?
Micheal Greenland: My friends asked me to join, and I had seen a performance before, and it was cool, so I was just like, why not? I was a part of “Bidi Bidi Baile,” a Latin dance, and it was really fun.
DG: In your eyes, does Melee offer a good place for beginners to learn how to perform and dance?
MG: Yeah. With the Latin dance, they made the choreo[graphy] a bit easier. If a lot of people weren’t able to do a certain harder move, they would alter the dance to make it more accessible. I’ve also heard from other groups that most people watch videos to learn how to dance, so it’s a bit easier for beginners.
Watching the Melee performance was invigorating. Everyone was invested in sharing their routine and ultimately having fun with their friends. Any hesitation or doubt was thrown away, especially by the newcomers. When I spoke with Boehm, she said that their mission statement is tied into their title. Traditionally, “melee” refers to close-quarters combat. In the context of the club, Boehm said, “Melee captures confronting any fears about dance and being willing to get up and close and put yourself out of your comfort zone a little bit with dance and movement.” If you have any reservations about performing but still have an interest in dance, look no further than Lawrence’s own Melee Dance Studio.