Hi Team!
Happy Sunday! Today, Nate and I did a review and technique lesson on Waltz, Quickstep, Samba and Cha Cha. Feel free to ask questions about anything we talked about this week at DTS or Thursday lesson. In other news, MichComp is officially over and everyone did so well! Thank you again to everyone who helped us run such a great competition. Special thanks to Johny, Anna, and the MichComp committee for all of your hard work. We’re back into the swing of regular lessons for the next few weeks and we have our End of Semester celebration coming up closer to the end of the month. More info on that below, along with the Meet the A Team!
Announcements for Everyone:
- SAPAC: As per the email from Anna, if you did not do SAPAC last semester (or if you weren’t on the team then), please fill out this semester’s SAPAC form. This is a MANDATORY part of being on the team, the deadline for completing this semester’s form is THIS MONDAY, 4/7!
- Elections: Ballroom board elections are coming up! Elections for the new board will be held at our EOS party on April 19th. Nominations are due on April 9th at 11:59 pm and platforms will be distributed to the team on the 10th. If you are interested in running for the board, be sure to read the overview of each board position and the election information.
- EOS: We will be having our End of Semester party on Saturday, 4/19 from 7:15 to 10 pm in room 2435 in North Quad! Please read the following bullet points for things to fill out/sign up to bring dishes:
- Ballroom Superlatives: First of the EOS things to fill out: fill out ballroom superlatives for our paper plate awards!
- EOS Potluck Signup: Please sign up here to bring something for the EOS potluck! Newcomers typically bring drinks and desserts, and upper-level team members must bring a main dish.
- Senior Sendoffs: Graduating seniors, please fill out this form to let us know who will be sending you off at EOS :’( we will miss you
- Absentee Ballot Request: If you cannot attend the EOS potluck, you can fill out this form to request an absentee election ballot.
- Themed DTS: Themed DTS every Wednesday. This Wednesday’s theme is summer! Wear your hawaiian shirts, swim trunks, sunglasses and anything summer related.
- Dancing With The Newcomers: Everyone’s favorite hit show is back for another run! We will be pairing new members with more experienced members of the team to do a showcase. Sign up here to be included. Let Johny know if you have any questions or signed up and can’t attend.
- W25 Approved Teachers: We recommend only asking for help regarding dance moves and technique from a list of couples approved by Steve and Susan. See the list here.
- W25 Competition Schedule: Check here for the dates of the competitions we’ll be attending this semester.
- Feedback Form: Do you have any questions, comments, or concerns about the team? We want to hear from you! Let us know by talking to a board member or by using the team’s anonymous feedback form on our website. Anything you report to us is 100% confidential.
- Other Practice Spaces: IMSB room schedule here. The Ballroom Dance Club lesson/open dance schedule here.
This Week’s Schedule…
Monday 4/7
9:30-11:30 pm: Open Practice at DTS
Tuesday 4/8
9:30-11:30 pm: Open Practice at DTS
Wednesday 4/9
10 pm-12 am: Open Practice at DTS, wear your summer clothes!
Thursday 4/10
9-11 pm: Newcomer lesson/guided practice in the IMSB
9:30-11:30 pm: Open Practice at DTS
Friday 4/11
Leave for Notre Dame if you’re attending!
Saturday 4/12
Cheer on your teammates competing at Notre Dame!
Sunday 4/13
3-5 pm: Newcomer Lesson in the IMSB
6-9 pm: Ballroom Club in the Union Ballroom
Meet the A Team
Alan and Emma
Alan is a graduate student studying Computer Science, and this is his fifth semester on the team. His favorite dance is the Sambo Mambo. Parfois, il aime creuser un trou dans son jardin, y mettre la tête et faire semblant d’être une carotte. Emma is a junior majoring in Public Health, and this is her sixth semester on the team. Her favorite dance is Cha Cha. Fun fact: She once almost drowned, but a lifeguard heroically saved her, only for her to trip over a pool noodle five minutes later and sprain her wrist.
Rachel and Joshua
Rachel is a junior majoring in Actuarial Mathematics and Economics, and this is her fifth semester on the team. Her favorite dance is Polka. Fun fact: She once spent an entire competition weekend convinced she had lost her dance shoes, only to find them in her bag the whole time. Joshua is a senior in Gender Studies, and this is his seventh semester on the team. His favorite dance is Waltz. Fun fact: He once conducted a full physics experiment mid-dance to determine and measure the centrifugal forces involved in Viennese Waltz (Rachel was not amused).
Gerardo and Andrea
Gerardo is a senior majoring in Mechanical Engineering, and this is his sixth semester on the team. His favorite dance is Waltz. Fun fact: He knows how to drive an industrial excavator and may or may not have tried using it to create a suitable dance floor in the woods. Andrea is a senior double majoring in Ecology, Evolution, & Biodiversity and Economics, and this is her fifth semester on the team. Her favorite dance is Quickstep. Fun fact: She knows way too many ocean animal facts and will happily educate you on the reproductive habits of sea cucumbers if given the chance.
Jacob and Eda
Jacob is a graduate student in Robotics, and this is his fourth semester on the team. His favorite dance is Tango. Fun fact: He once built a robot that was supposed to fetch his dance shoes but instead repeatedly threw them at his head, making the then president Erika threaten to kick the robot off the team. Eda is a graduate student pursuing a PhD in Architecture, and this is her 11th semester on the team. Her favorite dance is International Rumba. Fun fact: She knows four languages and once accidentally ordered 50 pounds of flour in the wrong one while studying abroad.
Miguel and Ava
Miguel is a senior majoring in Industrial & Operations Engineering, and this is his sixth semester on the team. His favorite dance is Mambo. Fun fact: He has conducted for crowds of 100,000+, but still panics when asked to order food at a drive-thru. Ava is a boomer majoring in Biomedical Engineering, and this is her third semester on the team. Her favorite dance is Samba. Fun fact: She once tried to train her goldfish to recognize cha-cha beats, but it still only responded to the sound of the food container being opened so she ate it because what else is it good for then goddamit.
We’re in the final stretch of the semester now so this is a great time to start sorting out plans for next fall (if you’ll be here)! Sort out partnerships, work on technique, run for the board, and all that good stuff. I’m officially done competing so if you see me floating around DTS, some ask me questions! I’m in full teaching mode now. For those still competing at Notre Dame (or at MIT later this month) good luck!
Love,
Nicolette
MBDT President