Drama Divides

By Katherine Chow

Salsa Clara, plans to return to campus this year with a revitalized energy after having suffered from a startling split in the group members this year. 

"It won't be a student-run organization or have anything to do with the school at all," said senior Timothy Sturm, the team leader, referring to the students who have decided to create their own dance group, separate from Salsa Clara. 

About 10 to 14 of the previous members have expressed interest in returning this school year. 

"I think they have formed another group, mainly because of a difference of opinion, so I think the other group is also dance, but slightly different," said Angie Zhu, a senior member of the student organization. "I think people just had a different vision of what they wanted to do in a Latin dance group." 

While Salsa Clara continues with their meetings and practices on campus, the other dance group, Latin Dance Experience, has encountered some trouble in obtaining rehearsal space. 

"The group is not affiliated with either Salsa Clara or Santa Clara University," said Director of Campus Programs Tedd Vanadilok. "This group will not be having a practice or event this Wednesday because they are a non-SCU entity that did not go through the appropriate protocol to have an event or meeting on campus." 

For fall quarter 2012, the group will be hosting lessons for people interested in joining the group. In winter quarter 2013, the group will hold auditions, in which they will choose up to 20 members total to perform in spring quarter 2013. 

Sturm has been organizing the first few meetings, the new fundraising initiative and also teaching the basic dance moves to the interested recruits.

"In past years, our past fundraising parts managed to pay for the dresses, but we never managed to fundraise equal to what we pay, so this year we want to raise at least 75 to 100 percent of the money we are going to spend," said Sturm.

As for their performances, the group has performed their routines on campus at events such as Love Jones and the Global Village Multicultural Fair. 

The group has traveled as far as Long Beach to perform at the College Salsa Congress. 

Salsa Clara plans to focus on more on-campus performances this year, mainly collaborating with Happy Feet Social Dancing Club in hosting an event in which dancers will be able to evaluate certain dancing criteria of group performances.

Contact Katherine Chow at klchow@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4849.