2/13/22 Week at a Glance – Michigan Ballroom Dance Team

Happy Valentines Day from the UMBDT Board <3

Hi Team,

I hope everyone had a wonderful Guys, Gals, Pals, and Vals night this weekend! It was great getting to see so many of our new and returning members coming together, bonding in the cold for the dance off (which the gals and pals definitely won in my totally unbaised opinion), and of course celebrating the start of an awesome new semester! This week we have lots of information about important upcoming events, so read on for all things ballroom happening this week!

Announcements for Everyone:

SAPAC Training! We will be hosting our mandatory SAPAC training Tuesday (2/15) at 9:30 pm. Be on the lookout for an email from Manasi with some more information coming soon, and if you are not able to attend the training please let her know ASAP for a makeup opportunity. SAPAC training is mandatory for all members of the team and must be completed at least once per year for all team members (returning members who attended SAPAC training last semester with the ballroom team do not need to attend this semester as well). Doing SAPAC training for a different organization or campus position does not count, you will still need to complete the ballroom-specific SAPAC training. If you do not complete the training you will not be allowed at social events for the rest of the semester!
Lesson Etiquette Reminders: Please, please, please remember to be respectful of all teachers during lessons! This means that when an instructor is speaking, you should not be! Noise echos very badly in the CCRB mirror room, and even a few side conversations can make it very difficult for your fellow dancers and instructors to hear. Side chatter makes it very difficult for instructors to get across the information they need, and slows down the lesson for everyone! Whenever an instructor is speaking you should STOP, WATCH, and LISTEN!! Please be respectful and considerate of our coaches, our instructors, and our fellow teammates time, and remind those around you that they should be too if you notice someone being distracting!
Teaching Reminders: If you have any dance questions, like how to do the basic, a move, or count a dance you should be asking an instructor from the upper level teams!! At the beginner levels it is very easy to pick up bad habits that will be very hard to break later, so if you have questions always ask someone who is authorized to be teaching!! Members of A and B teams are instructors and are the only folks allowed to teach! If you have questions please find one of these team members at DTS and ask them, if someone asks you a question and your aren’t on A or B team, direct them to someone who is! Don’t know anyone on A or B team, ask a board member, we are all members of A or B and are happy to help!
March 5-6th: Arnold Competition! Our biggest competition of the winter semester is less than a month away! The Arnold Youth Dancesport Classic is on the last Saturday and Sunday of spring break, and you don’t want to miss it! The points we earn from Arnold contribute towards our score at next year’s nationals, thus making it essential for defending our title for the seventeenth consecutive year. Be sure to save the date and plan to get back early if you’re travelling so you can dance for the Terminator himself, who makes an appearance every year in the ballroom!!! Be on the lookout for more information from your wonderful away competition chair Lauren coming this week!
Shoe Vending: Our shoe suppliers VEdance, will have opportunities to stop by the store this week if you are interested in purchasing dance shoes! It is highly recommended that all members purchase dance shoes for practice, and you will need them if you plan to compete this semester! Be on the lookout for a separate email explaining shoe vending, as well as alternative options for purchasing dance shoes coming soon!
Team Closet: If you borrowed anything from the team closet for MSU please wash and return all items to your fabulous recruitment chair Tiffany ASAP!! This is super important so that everything will be ready for the next borrower at the Arnold!
Partner Search: Still looking for a potential partner for practice or to take to the Arnold over spring break? Check out our partner search spreadsheet! Reminder: it is up to you to contact potential partners from the sheet, and please remove your information if you are no longer partner searching!
Team Intros: Every week we will be introducing members of each of our upper level tryout teams! This week is the B team, scroll to the bottom of the WAG to see all our awesome B team dancers 🙂All members of B team are instructors, so if you have any questions about dance they are the folks to ask!!

Looking Further Ahead…

March 11th: Dance Mix! It’s your favorite spectacular end of year dance show, and some of your very own teammates will be performing a Latin formation again this year!

This Week’s Schedule…

Monday 2/14

9:30-11:30 pm: Open Practice at DTS ~ Happy Valentines Day <3

Reminder: Masks must be worn at all times at DTS and only wear dance shoes or socks in the studios!!

Tuesday 2/15

9:30 pm: Mandatory SAPAC Training for ALL NEW MEMBERS

9:30-11:30 pm: Open Practice at DTS

Wednesday 2/16

10:00 pm – 12:00 am: Open Practice at DTS

Thursday 2/17

9:00-11:00 pm: Newcomer Lesson in CCRB 3275!

9:30-11:30 pm: Open Practice at DTS

Friday 2/18

Practice with a potential partner for the Arnold ;)

Saturday 2/19

Get hype for newcomer lesson with Steve and Susan tomorrow :)

Sunday 2/20

3:00-5:00 pm: Newcomer Lesson in CCRB 3275!

Meet the Teams: There’s a lot of people on this team, to help you get to know everyone we’ve made a handy guide to who’s on which team, so you know who to cheer for at the Arnold! Check out B-team below! Everyone on B team is an instructor for our lessons so if you have questions about anything dance related, these are the folks to ask!!

Jason and Manasi

Jason is a Junior studying Chemical Engineering.

Manasi is a Senior studying Chemistry. She is also our PR Chair!