GCU Dance Team perform end of year show

Excitement has been growing within the GCU Students’ Association Dance Team as they prepare for their end-of-year Dance Show.

GCU Dance have spent the last few months rehearsing various dances ahead of their annual Dance Showcase which took place on Thursday 20 April. This moment has been years in the making for fourth year Applied Psychology student and 2022/2023 Team President, Kirsty Walker.

Following the Competition Team’s success in their competition in February, which garnered them two gold, one silver and one bronze award, the team were looking forward to a night celebrating everything they have been working towards since September.

Before the show, Kirsty explained: “The show is a showcase of everything we’ve worked on throughout the year. In the showcase we have both our competition dances and our recreational dances.

“The recreational dances are for anyone to take part in. There’s lots of people involved who have never danced before so it’s great to get all capabilities and just see everyone having a great time and getting more confident. It’s some people’s first show so they’re really excited to take part in their first show.

“The competition teams get to compete in front of an audience in competitions, but the recreational groups don’t get the opportunity to do that unless we put a show on, so it’s good to allow everyone the chance to perform in front of an audience and experience all the excitement that comes with it in getting costumes and having something to work towards.”

Although Kirsty joined the team in 2019, and has since held positions of Treasurer, Vice-Captain and Captain, this is only her second show. She explained: “Because my first year ended early with COVID, I got most of first year but because the show is at the end of the year we missed it.

“We made a power point video, which was nice to get something from it but I wasn’t the same. In 2021 we got nothing because of lockdown, so last year was my first proper show and it was quite crazy doing that as Vice-Captain because no one had any experience because the people who had previously done the show had left by that point.

“Even our President hadn’t done dance the year before COVID so she hadn’t done the show either, so it was new for everyone but it was still exciting.

“A lot of us did the show last year so we’re excited to do it again, then we’ve got some first years who are just excited to do it for the first time.”

The show is not only a chance for the Dance Team to showcase their talent, but Kirsty explains: “We also use the show to fundraise, both for the Dance Club for next year and also for our charity.

This year, the show helped raise funds for Nordoff and Robbins Music Therapy, a unique music therapy charity that uses music to help people with illnesses, disabilities and those who struggle with loneliness.

“We’ve also got the rugby boys doing a charity dance so that’s lots of fun. Last year they did it just to take part but this year they’re using it to fundraise for My Name’5 Doddie Foundation. It’s so good that they’re doing it but it’s made so much better by the fact it’s for such a good cause, it makes it so much more worthwhile.”

Both GCU Dance and GCU Men’s Rugby teams have been working hard to prepare for their showcase, but for the dancing girls, being a part of the club is about more than just dancing.

“I think that the main reason to join a club like GCU Dance is the social aspect. I’ve always danced, I’ve always loved dancing and a lot of people are the same but it brings people together even if they haven’t danced and it’s so good if you’re maybe struggling with course friends.

“In third year when we weren’t fully back I think I had one in-person seminar and a lot of people weren’t even on campus at all, so if they weren’t in halls it was really difficult for them to find friends, so being able to come to Dance and make friendships and have a consistent thing to do every week.”

The team host weekly socials to help students socialise with other students on different courses who share an interest in dance. Kirsty said: “We’ve put a big emphasis on making it a fun and welcoming environment but also focus on the dancing and giving everyone a good opportunity to make friends and be a part of their overall university experience.”

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By Derry Wyllie