The Capilano Dance Club is the coolest club you haven’t heard about
Joss Arnott // Contributor
Do you ever just feel… alone on campus? Capilano is growing every year, but no matter how hard it gets to find a seat in the library or cafeteria, there’s always this feeling of loneliness that permeates the place. There isn’t really a sense of community here. You show up, you go home, the end. It kinda sucks.
I didn’t really know what to expect when I attended one of the Capilano Dance Club’s drop-in sessions last term. What I found was something I didn’t even think existed at Capilano: an inviting community that I can only describe as warm. I didn’t feel like I was passing through, I felt like I’d been invited into something. Something really cool.
The Dance Club was founded about a year ago by its current president Alisa Lindley, a second-year Acting For Stage and Screen student who’s been dancing for most of her life.
When Lindley came to Capilano expecting to find a dance club, she found nothing of the sort existed on campus. Rather than pay for outside classes, she decided to start her own club.
It’s not easy starting a dance club — you need teachers, studio space and most importantly, fellow dancers. While Lindley has never seen herself as the club president type, she’s taken to the task with gusto. In the fall term, the club offered both Hip-Hop and Modern dance classes at beginner and intermediate levels. This term, they’re planning on expanding their class offerings to include K-Pop, Heels and Hip-Hop tech/improv courses, all free of charge.
Dance is an important way to self-express, and Lindley’s favourite part about the club has been giving people a space to do just that. “It’s really nice being able to reach people who wouldn’t otherwise reach out,” she said. “It’s those moments that are really special — realizing that those people wouldn’t have had an outlet before the club started.” This mentality is what makes the dance club so special, it’s a place where people can be themselves and have fun.
The club provides a space for students to stop by for an hour, work up a sweat, and just relax. The classes are all taught by fellow students, who will all make you feel welcome even if you have absolutely no idea what “Modern Dance” actually is (it’s basically advanced wiggling – you’ll love it). What makes the club so special is that nobody is dancing because they have to. They’re dancing because they love to. So why not fulfill a new year’s resolution or two? Go make some friends or just get some exercise away from the January gym rush. Whether you’re an expert dancer or a total novice, if you like to dance, the Capilano Dance Club has something for you.