ALANA WINGATE
Staff Writer
In an effort to get students interested in joining the team and experiencing what they have to offer, the Fredonia EnFusion dance team kicked off their semester with a Freestyle Friday following the campus Activities Night. Iaisha Babb, President of the EnFusion dance team, is a senior BFA dance major with double minors in women in gender studies and dance seal administration.
Babb revealed, “Every semester we audition. Even our returning members must audition every semester. Within the first month of the semester … we are accepting new members. We try to do auditions and an open practice to give people the time to come [and see the team in action].”
Since EnFusion is open to new members every semester, experienced dancers like music industry major and freshman, Ava Sargente, feel free and welcome to come out and show out.
“I’ve been dancing since I was two, so 17 years, [and] competitively for about 10,” Sargente said. “Coming to college, it was nice knowing that they have a dance team that I could join.”
Although many who attended the creative meet-and-greet were aspiring EnFusion team members, there were also those that came to experience the culture-infused music and moves.
“I actually don’t plan on auditioning. I was just here to come to Freestyle Friday. I am involved in a lot of clubs, but I am an avid watcher of EnFusion Performances and I do support them when I can,” said Neron Simpson, senior biology and psychology major.
Although Sargente’s primary goal was to try out and make the team, she was also intent on making some new friends.
“I’m really excited to just make some new friends and be on a team again,” Sargente said.
Tina Mistric, senior theater arts and psychology major with a dance minor and the EnFusion team’s secretary, shared that the team is where she met many students with the same passions as herself.
“I’ve met a lot of new people from EnFusion. I think that’s a really good bonus of the club too: Not only getting to do an activity you like, [but] with people who share that same interest,” Mistric said.
Many of the veteran team members are long time dancers and have experience in several different genres of dance.
“I’m more trained in contemporary dance and street jazz. I did South African dance as my first dance style growing up, but I’m pretty comfortable in all dance styles,” Babb said.
The EnFusion dance team started off as an extension of Caribbean Student Association, incorporating various forms of Caribbean-style dances and dance styles inspired by many other cultures in their routines and performances.
Because many team members are familiar with numerous cultural forms of dance, this ultimately benefits the team when choreographing new moves to compete or showcase.
“We have three different members that choreograph: myself, our vice president and our treasurer. It goes between the three of us. In the past when I was PR chair starting out on EnFusion, I did choreograph a lot more, but it just depends on what ideas people have,” Babb said.
Even during the stress of COVID, those on the team managed to find a way to keep their group going by dancing at a distance.
“The thing is, we weren’t performing. It was kind of post-COVID, just recording and like social distancing things. There were three people in the club, so it was just barely hanging on, like how all the other clubs were,” Mistric said.
With campus life starting to return to normal, EnFusion has a lot more planned.
“I’m very excited for our own competition, Battle of the SUNY’s, which is a dance [and] step competition,” Babb said. “This would be EnFusion’s second time hosting it since COVID, and the Blue Devils Ball ‘23, with EnFusion, Pride Alliance, and Sister Circle all hosting it together.”
As far as the team’s followers, they are looking forward to seeing something bold and new.
“I really want EnFusion to challenge themselves. Like blow us away, give us something that we haven’t seen before,” Simpson said.
Those looking to join the EnFusion Dance Team can reach out to them through their Instagram @enfusiondance.