Dance squad livens games

Photo by Frank Ameka

The crowd cheered loudly at the debut performance of EMU's new dance squad at a home basketball game Saturday, Nov. 20.

The dance squad is made up of 12 dancers, ranging from freshmen to seniors. Junior Cassie Ludtke and senior Shannon Terranova are the captains. Ludtke, a Special Ed. major from Loudoun County, Va., has been dancing for 16 years and has run her own dance company for four years. Terranova, a Special Ed. major/Theater minor, is from the New Jersey area but currently lives in Annapolis, Md. Although she has never taken any dance classes, Terranova has choreographed many dances for theater and dance squads.

Ludtke and Terranova were introduced to each other by Doug Wandersee, EMU's assistant director of Student Programs and Orientation. The women started offering hip-hop dance classes at EMU in October, which later grew into the dance squad.

The spirit of dance at EMU is not to promote any offensive actions; many would say this is what club scenes are for. EMU's dance squad has been particular with their choreography and song choices in order to prevent complaints about offensive movements or bad language.

Dance is movement to express different emotions. Outward musical expression of inner feelings is all dance is; no ulterior meanings are intended. Although hip-hop may have negative connotations for some, the squad's intent is to give support to the basketball teams, not to promote offensive movements.