Never have I ever thought I would step into a 5th floor dance studio with a gothic window, but thanks to the interesting architecture of Payne Whitney Gym, I stepped into an elevator and out into a studio with an unusually high roof. I barely ever go to Payne Whitney Gymnasium, instead opting for the comfort of my Timothy Dwight basement gym that has all the basic functions for daily exercise. However, when Danceworks offered the option for dance workshops with low commitment and no requirement for a performance showcase, I rushed to the Google Form and signed up for ballet.
Danceworks is a non-audition dance group that invites all students to participate in student-choreographed performances held during end-of-semester showcases (more info on showcases found here!). I didn’t know if I would be able to commit to a performance, and lucky enough, there was a workshop series! The level of intensity associated with activities at Yale can fall along a broad spectrum with some super serious dancers at Yale in audition-based dance groups, but also very casual dancers and folks trying something new for the first time!
I am by no means an “excellent” dancer (falling into the category of first-timer), so I was extremely happy to have the opportunity of trying out ballet, a usually high-commitment type activity. The teacher who is hosting this workshop series is also a Yale undergraduate, so these workshops are also a great place to meet new people and make new friends.
Quick peek at the studio before the start of the class!
It’s wonderful to have a non-audition group and opportunities to just try things casually. This ballet workshop is the perfect level of commitment for someone wanting exposure to dance or just a bit of weekly exercise. Now, every Tuesday night, you know you can find me plié-ing away in PWG to classical Harry Potter music.
