Alliance for Dance at Yale (ADAY)

Yale University is home to many amazing dance groups that cover every dance style imaginable. We encourage you to check them all out, and attend as many auditions, workshops, and classes as you can in the fall!

Please note that some dance groups do not have a website, but keep checking back in case there is an update! Groups wishing to update their information or pictures should email danceatyale@gmail.com

Anjali is a South Asian Classical Dance group which mainly fuses Bharat Natyam and Kathak choreography. Check out some videos here!

The Ballet Folklorico Mexicano de Yale (BFMdY) strives to preserve the traditional dances and movements from Mexico. BFMdY is a student organized and choreographed dance company that engages in various performance opportunities on and off campus.

BFMdY welcomes dancers of all levels and experiences. No experience is necessary. Contact Alejandro Bustillos or Mollie Dibrell for more information

DanceWorks is Yale's largest and most diverse dance group. We are entirely student-run – anyone can join, dance, choreograph and perform, no audition necessary! The music is fresh, the moves are hot, the performances ALWAYS sell out and the whole experience is just plain fun. Here's how to get involved:

Attend our beginning-of-semester info session in early September. Listen to the choreographers pitch their dances, and sign up for as many numbers as you want – each dance entails one hour of practice a week. If you want to choreograph, just let us know – anyone, boy or girl, freshman to senior, can do it. Practice, and get pumped for our end-of-the-semester performances, held twice annually.

DanceWorks is always looking for new members and new choreographers. We've done everything from ballroom to hip-hop, lyrical to step, tap to West African. We give you a dedicated group of energetic dancers who have more fun than anyone else on campus. Tell your friends, tell your family, and keep your eyes peeled for our September info session.

A Different Drum was founded in 1996 as a company that nurtures quality choreography and embraces all styles of dance. Our diverse shows reflect that variety: they showcase works in modern, lyrical, ballet, jazz, hip-hop, tap, African, and any other styles our members bring to us.

A Different Drum (ADD) is entirely student run. Members are encouraged to contribute choreography to the shows and can dance in as many other pieces as they’d like. Dancers can tailor their time commitment from four to ten hours a week.

Members are encouraged to help build an enriching and innovative environment for new work to develop, as choreographers and dancers, and to think creatively about potential collaborations with musicians and other artists on campus. In addition to regular rehearsals for our shows, we have a weekly technique and composition class and master classes with guest artists every two weeks. Members learn new skills in composition and branch out to new movement styles, while taking class from professional dancers and refining their technique.

We hope you'll come audition for us! We welcome choreographers and dancers of all techniques and promise low-key, fun auditions with the chance to strut your stuff. For more information, contact: Sarai Itagaki or Elizabeth Eddy.

Breakdancing, b-boying, pop and lock are all dance styles that emerged together out of hip hop movement that began in the late 1970's, starting in the streets of Manhattan and the South Bronx and eventually making its way across the country. Starting as a means of political expression the style of dance grew to become not only an art form, but a life-style with a culture that was all it's own. FXC is a dance group whose members are not interested in perfecting someone else's technique, but, as freestyle artists, are interested creating an original style, as originality and individuality are what have always been at the center of the hip hop movement.

This group is for anyone who loves real hip hop, what it was and what it's become, as well as those who just want to get to know something about it. All are welcome to get together and just dance to good music, learn from each other, and learn to appreciate a cultural movement that will never be rivaled. Contact John Pyun or Daniel Ni for more information.

Fusion was founded in the fall of 2007 with the goal of creating a new type of dance, one that would mix the styles of modern and traditional belly dance with that of hip-hop.

The group performs to a wide range of musical genres, from hip-hop to middle eastern pop, and members join with experience in a variety of dance styles. Each dancer has the opportunity to choreograph a piece according to his or her own style and to learn from other members.

The group also seeks to bring cultural awareness of the various forms of belly dance, both past and present, to the campus through events year-round. For more info, email Marissa Benavides

Groove Dance Company was founded in 2002 by individuals who wanted to showcase many dance styles and to have fun with dance. We have evolved into a company that combines passion for all types of dancewith a dedication to professionalism and technicality. Our mission is to communicate the joy of dance; we do this through dance education as well as our popular performances for the Yale community.

Groove Dance Company holds weekly technique classes, and rehearsals for a student-choreographed show at the end of each semester. Groove is Yale's most eclectic dance group – while jazz, modern, and hip hop pieces are staples of every show, we also incorporate any style a dancer has interest in, including (but not limited to) lyrical, ballet, cultural, Broadway, and tap. Groove allows dancers to hone their specialties as well as develop expertise in new dance styles; a ballet dancer can focus on hip hop and Bhangra one semester, and then choreograph a lyrical piece the next. Groove also performs at on and off-campus events throughout the year in addition to our biannual performance.

Currently, we are the only dance group with its own outreach program. We have an established after-school dance program at the John C. Daniels School, where members teach dance classes and organize school-wide performances for 4th to 6th graders.

Groove is a close knit community of passionate people. We have attended professional performances as a group, along with hosting a number of social events each semester. Our company truly becomes more than just a dance group. Members are selected by auditions held in the fall and spring. If you have any questions, please email President Audrey Ballard, Artistic Director Melinda Zhang, or see Groove's website at http://www.yale.edu/groovedancecompany/. We can't wait to dance with you!

Irish Dancers at Yale hopes to bring students of all backgrounds together to celebrate Irish Culture and have fun through the art of Irish Dance. We hope to showcase Irish Step Dancing at Yale through performances open to the community.

Konjo! West African Dance Troupe was founded in the fall of 1998 by Yetsa Tuakli-Wosornu, Eyi Tuakli-Wosornu, and Yemi Getahun. They saw the need To promote the aesthetics of African culture on the Yale campus through dance and music. Thus Konjo!, which means "beautiful" in Amharic, came into existence, and made its debut at the Black Solidarity Conference Talent Show. Since then, Konjo! has been, and continues to be, a great hit in the Yale-New Haven community, thrilling audiences of all ages. The dance troupe has been invited to several campus-wide events, including the annual Yale-Harvard Talent show, Communiversity Day, the Black Solidarity Conference Talent Show, and Black Graduation, as well as events at local New Haven public schools. In its 11th season, Konjo! West African Dance Troupe continues to be dedicated to showcasing the beauty of African culture through music and dance, particularly through repertoire from Senegal, the Gambia, Mali, and Guinea.

The 2010-11 academic year promises to be another exciting and eventful season! We welcome all who are interested, regardless of dance or drum experience. Please contact our Executive Director, Samuel Brudner, for more information.

This group is dedicated to the performance of traditional Chinese lion dance and participates in many Asian cultural events on campus. It has recently been disbanded, but could be revived with renewed interest.

Mostly Waltz at Yale is dedicated to promoting waltz and various other social dances in the New Haven area. We host a variety of classes and dance events throughout the school year and summer. For more information, please follow the above link to our website or contact us at mostlywaltzatyale@gmail.com.

The Phoenix Dance Troupe is an entirely student-run Chinese traditional dance troupe. We hope to bring students from all backgrounds together to celebrate the rich and diverse dance traditions from different regions across China. We perform dance pieces from different ethnic Chinese groups and regions, from the Tibetan plateaus, Mongolian steppes, the water villages of the South to the northwestern deserts. With 56 distinct ethnic cultures, Chinese traditional dance has lots to offer.

Phoenix Dance Troupe is a Chinese folk dance group that teaches and performs Chinese dances on Yale campus and in the neighboring community. Over the years, Phoenix has performed at various cultural events, including the Chinese American cultural show, Kaleidoscope, and RICE. Through its performances, the group hopes to spread both artistic and cultural awareness to its members and audiences.

Members participate in numerous big and small traditional dances throughout the year and are also encouraged to choreograph their own pieces.

We welcome dancers of all backgrounds and levels. No experience necessary. We do not hold auditions. Just show your interest and welcome aboard! For more information, email Angela She or Angela Yu.

Rangeela is Yale's first Bollywood dance team. Rangeela is a new group, debuting this school year, and as a fusion dance team welcomes dancers of all styles and levels who share enthusiasm for Bollywood. Contact Krisha Desai or Anisha Suterwala for more information.

Rhythmic Blue is Yale University's premier hip-hop and contemporary dance group. We were founded in 1991 by two undergraduate students who recognized the coming of age of non-traditional styles of dance. These innovative dance forms have been popularized by the advent of a new school of thought in musical compositions that fuses hip-hop, pop, rock, dance-hall, reggae and Latin music with vivid visual imagery. This co-ed, multi-cultural group relies on the diversity and creative talent of its dancers for its unique and ingenious style, reflected by a repertoire that draws on various forms of dance - ranging from various forms of hip-hop and R&B, breakdancing, popping and locking, liturgical, and contemporary lyrical, jazz and African dance fusions. We hold a show on the Yale campus once a semester, at which we present our one-of-a-kind energy and newest choreography in full force! Please contact Naomi Chou for more information.

Sabrosura is a Latin dance Team at Yale founded in 2009 to bring together students interested in Latin American dance for the purpose of creating solidarity amongst the various cultures of Latin America. Sabrosura is a student-run organization whose performances feature a variety of musical genres and subgenres such as salsa, merengue, bachata, and cumbia. We rely on the diversity and talent of our members for our choreography and strive to share the cultural product of our organization with both the Yale and New Haven communities. Sabrosura culminates the year in a showcase that features students from all across Yale University passionate about Latin American dance and committed to enhancing cultural understanding within the Yale community. Auditions are held annually in September. For more information please contact Agustin Paniagua or Claudia Martinez. Visit our website at yale.edu/sabrosura.

Founded in 1997, Steppin' Out is Yale's first and only step team. In this short period of time, this organization has distinguished itself as a talented and dedicated group. Their performances are known for their levels of excitement and adrenaline brought to the stage. The primary purpose of Steppin' Out, commonly referred to simply as "SO", is to introduce step, an African American dance form derived from the celebratory and religious practices of African dancers, to the Yale community. Contact Eliot Kim or Katie Moug for more information.

Taps is a dynamic, co-ed group of around 20 dancers, dedicated to performing and promoting tap dancing at Yale University. Every year, Taps produces the only dancing show at Yale that consists of only tap dances, showing the incredible range of styles within this art form. In past years, Taps' performance have consisted of student-choreographed pieces ranging in style from modern rhythm tap to classical Broadway tap. Contact Leah Itagaki or Rebecca Treger for more information.

Yale Ballet Company is an informal dance group for lovers of ballet. We give ourselves technique class, learn famous variations, and bring in guest artists to teach us. For more information, contact Aren Vastola or Amymarie Bartholomew.

We are an autonomous organization of undergraduates, graduate and professional students, outlaws, male models, and other Yale affiliates who love the art of ballroom dancing. We dance for competitions, for performances, and most of all for fun.

We compete in International Standard (waltz, tango, Viennese waltz, foxtrot, and quickstep), International Latin (cha cha, samba, rumba, paso doble, and jive), American Smooth (waltz, tango, foxtrot, and Viennese waltz), and American Rhythm (chacha, rumba, swing, bolero, and mambo). In addition, our social dances include salsa, merengue, bachata, and hustle/disco.

The Yale Ballroom Dance Club is a satellite of the team for individuals and couples who enjoy social dancing. Club lessons teach dances like waltz, foxtrot, tango, salsa, merengue, bachata, swing, and hustle/disco. These lessons are designed for those who want to learn to dance at a casual but thorough pace, without the commitment and pressure of competitive ballroom dancing. You need not come with a partner, and no prior experience is required. Contact Allen Granzberg for more information.

The Yale Belly Dance Society is dedicated to bring the Middle Eastern dance and culture to Yale's campus and the outside community. YBDS was founded in 2003 with the goal of promoting this exciting and challenging art form while dispelling negative myths of belly dance. The group primarily focuses on Egyptian cabaret style dance (raqs sharqi), but also includes elements of folkloric Egyptian dance, Turkish traditional and cabaret, and American Tribal Style. These dance styles are taught to beginners through classes organized by Payne Whitney Gymnasium and seen performed throughout the year at many events by the YBDS Performance Troupe, which consists of members of different experience levels.

Classes are opened to the general community whereas admission to the performance troupe is by audition in early September. The audition serves simply to demonstrate a basic level of technique and ability to perform choreographies. All are welcomed to audition! Members of the society enjoy access to YBDS's collection of Middle Eastern music CDs, technique DVDs, costumes and performance props, as well as information on workshops and belly dance events in the community and nearby. For more information, please visit our website or e-mail yalebellydance@gmail.com. Happy shimmies!

The oldest and most respected dance group on campus, Yaledancers is comprised of talented, committed dancers, ranging in skills from those who have trained and performed professionally, to those who have just discovered dance.

Members, selected by audition each fall, meet twice weekly for classes taught both by students and guest artists, culminating in two sellout shows (Fall and Spring) to showcase original guest and student choreography. The company prides itself on their ability to perform a wide variety of dance styles, including classical and modern ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop and modern dance.

Yaledancers also provides a social outlet and sense of community for members, creating lasting friendships among both graduate and undergraduate students. For more information, contact Gabrielle Karol or Charlotte Clune.

Yale Swing and Blues represents the non-competitive swing and blues dancing community on campus. We provide a space for people to get together and dance in a fun, informal setting. Our regular events include monthly swing dances, weekly blues practica, and trips to local dancing events. We also offer Lindy Hop and Blues lessons every semester, for a nominal fee. Our events are open to undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and staff, and members of the broader New Haven community. Contact Rosalind Diaz for more information.

Argentine Tango is a social partner dance that focuses on connection and musicality. There are no steps, no choreography, and no right or wrong foot -- just the simple elegance of a warm embrace set to music.

The Yale community is famous across the country for its kindness and skill. Learn more at www.yaletangoclub.org or join us at 8pm on Sundays at GPSCY Bar (204 York St.). For more information, contact Brianna Sullivan

   Ya- Yue(雅乐) Chinese Dance Troupe is a non-profit
     student group. We are dedicated to bringing Chinese
     folk/traditional dance and culture to Yale and the outside
     community. We perform two to three dances every year
     at the Spring Festival Gala hosted by
     ACSSY(Association of Chinese Student and Scholars at
     Yale) and other occasions. We welcome everyone who
     is interested in Chinese folk/traditional dance to join us!