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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 10, 2004)
attaii page poses. 5 were ail Advj consist^ P and ’presentai em Offic at is 'g student 'f cheatinj ale revisi The desci es i be foum Web tamu.edul page es todonii -dge with ft let lien ,olt e who ts jealous violent tas a vii wants i' where erbally l you di lames > of a pott elationsli ' lud y k * in fource s rape f these, attacker, totified potential rkins sail nt of ol and one e sexit age of relate:' ites, account all callsi e to let violet comnmi :e domes nore, emore, re; :ory at I re read lie j began ue; get tie! chelle te to talk I 99-SAFEj The Battalion Page 3 • Tuesday, February 10, WKM fteuep fp&m w£W£>ut iks THe By Sarah Szuminski THE BATTALION Junior wildlife and fisheries sciences major Hatice Thomas stops aticing and turns around to face her students in the hip-hop dance jjssshe teaches along with co-instructor Shay Jones, a junior corn ier engineering major. Tall ready for some music?” Thomas asks, after she and Jones utisli teaching the last eight-count for the day. The class of about 50 students cheers and the dancers get ready to niltlieirnew moves to music. As the beat begins. Thomas and Jones /‘five, six, seven, eight,” and the room snaps into motion. The one-hour hip-hop class is one of the most popular courses the Student Recreation Center, as students flock to the pstairs archery room each week to learn new dance steps and get te exercise. Freshman biology major Leanne Skinner said she found the class searching for an outlet to fill the dancing void left after corn- college and leaving behind her days as captain of the high toldiool dance team. "It's a lot of fun, and it’s definitely a good workout,” Skinner said. ^Thomasand Jones) are really good; they’ve got some great moves.” The fee for the class is $15, which buys anyone w ith a Rec inter membership admission to four classes - one per week. Each students leam four new eight-counts, which ultimately com- Ktomake up a full-length dance routine. Jones and Thomas not only instruct the class, but also choreo- iptithe original routines. ‘We've been dancing for awhile," Jones said. ”We just put on temusic and make up the steps." “A lot of the time, it’s just us being silly,” Thomas added. Hie dances are kept at a difficulty level that w ill fit everyone’s ility,since some students have previously taken dance while oth- n have not. We try to keep it easy,” Jones said. “We throw in easy steps, but make sure to challenge everyone." Mi Phelan, a Ph.D. student studying human resource develop- C a|HtLagreed that the class requires some coordination, but said it is * lastly just for fun. It's not geared for performance, so it’s okay if you can’t get it 'l iiattly right," she said. the class mostly appeals to women, there are a few men ihotiy their hand at learning hip-hop. Jiors Tommy Nelson and Jeff McFadden said they were drawn tie class after taking a free introductory session. Tvealways wanted to take a class like this," Nelson said, “and Malot of girls in here.” Madden said it seemed like a good opportunity to have fun and btome new moves, adding that he could use the practice, fiegot a really bad case of the white man’s disease,” he said. Ihomassaid about three or four men usually enroll in each of the four class times offered, but she hopes there will be more in the future. “We need to get the males out here,” she said. Thomas said girls seem more willing to take a dance class and tell their friends about it. Phelan said she was surprised to see men in the class, but they seemed to be holding their own in a room full of women. “They have their own style,” she said. “They put a guys’ twist on the dance.” In fact, everyone in the class puts some of his own style on the steps learned. Thomas and Jones’ choreography leaves room for their students to add a personal twist. Some of the funkier moves, however, can be intimidating when first introduced. When teaching a step they called the “snake,” Thomas and Jones had to provide some additional instruction for many people in the class who could not master the move. “The bigger your step, the bigger your snake will be,” the instructors explained, instructing the class on how to drop their head to the side before following with their hips. Making sure everyone understands a step is one thing to which the instructors give a lot of attention. Throughout the class, Thomas and Jones have everyone rotate, so dancers in the back get a chance to have a front-row view. They also create an encouraging environment where their students can feel comfortable trying to get the new moves down. “We ask people to challenge themselves,” Thomas said. “Most of the time, when someone says they can’t do something, they end up being able to if they just try.” Thomas and Jones step up the intensity at the end of every class with what they call the "Outkast challenge.” This is when the instruc tors have the class perform the routine to a song with a faster beat. The idea started with last year’s instructors when they created the Justin Timberlake challenge to the song, “Like I Love You.” This year. Thomas and Jones switched it over to Outkast’s “The Way You Move.” The class shifts into high gear during the challenge, as the dancers struggle to keep up with the song’s quick tempo. It is an energetic way to end each class and give a final kick to the workout. Skinner said she enjoys the class and would recommend it to anyone. “Last week after 1 left, I was so excited I couldn’t wait to get back,” she said. Phelan agreed, saying the teachers’ energy and spirit keep the class entertaining. “I’m really glad they’re offering it," she said “and $15 is a steal.” Thomas and Jones said they plan to offer a second session of hip- hop classes later in the semester, complete with new choreography. The Rec Center also currently offers classes in jazz and belly dancing. More information about the hip-hop class can be found at ree xports.tamu.edu or at the member services desk at the Rec Center. ■k MSC Variety Show -fr Now accepting applications for all kinds of acts. Compete for local fame and Applications in Town Hall cube in the Student Program Office or online at townhall.tamu.edu Auditions Feb. 17th, 18th, and 19th. Application deadline Feb. 12th at 5pm. JT ‘VaCe.ntine Qift JLil<^e- Other a prize money fortune! 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