For those who have a passion for dance and are looking to get more involved on campus, the Dancer’s Consort club extends a warm welcome.
“We help build a community in the dance program by putting on fundraisers and events that unify us as a group,”said Natalie Allen, the president of Dancer’s Consort.
An integral part of the Dancer’s Consort is organizing and executing the Arizona Jazz Dance Showcase, an event that, according to the School of Dance’s website, is “an annual fundraiser … each fall which brings both funding and recognition to the dance department.”
Through helping to fundraise and facilitate the Jazz Dance Showcase, members of Dancer’s Consort receive a discounted tuition fee for the workshops that last throughout the weekend, as well as an opportunity to give back to the program that works so hard to see them succeed.
The website also says the club helps “to represent student needs and wants in regard to UA School of Dance facilities, management, events and social affairs.”
For many dance students, the club is their voice in presenting faculty and UA officials with their thoughts and desires.
Allen originally saw the club as an opportunity to get involved but decided to take on a leadership position because she “personally enjoys the organizational side of things and likes to have a sense of responsibility within the club.”
For a select group of dancers, the club offers a chance to be a leader among their peers. Students who serve in officer positions take on the responsibility of representing and governing most of the school’s dancers.
However, officers are not the only members who gain real-world skills through Dancer’s Consort.
Kailey Tamarkin is a senior in the School of Dance and member of the club.
“We definitely learn time management; we have to be very persistent with our work because everything is very fast-paced, so you have to be on your toes,” Tamarkin said.
In the dance world, rehearsals and performances are constant, and whether you are a choreographer or a performer, you must learn to be ahead of the game.
Eduardo Zambrana is a student who came all the way from Bolivia to UA’s renowned School of Dance and is now a sophomore in the school.
“I am international, so I didn’t know anyone here at the school. I heard about this and I thought it was a good way to make new friends and meet new people,” Zambrana said.
One of the ways Dancer’s Consort helps acclimate freshmen into the dance major lifestyle is with an event called “Buddy Day.”
At the beginning of each school year, members of all classes spend a Saturday getting to know each other through team activities and games.
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“The whole concept behind it is that they can reach out to the upperclassmen whenever they have questions or have anything going on and create a friendship throughout the year,” Allen said.
After two years of being part of Dancer’s Consort, Zambrana, like many other members, said he feels he’s made great connections.
“All these dancers are amazing, too; it helped me be better as a person and a student,” Zambrana said.
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