Announcements
- Please fill out the form below to be added to our mailing list to receive club updates and more dancing opportunities!
- Our spring recital will be held Saturday, April 20th at EMPAC.
About Us
The Dance Club offers classes in ballet, contemporary, jazz, tap and hip hop. Classes are held weekly during the academic year. Every spring, we hold a recital in which dancers from each of the classes perform choreographed numbers. No experience is required and we encourage dancers of all experience levels to join!
Member Info
- We welcome all dancers ages 14 and older! Note that classes consist of mostly college-aged students and adults.
- The first week of classes is FREE!
- For RPI students the semester fee is $70 for unlimited classes.
- For Non-RPI students the semester fee is $105 for unlimited classes.
- All classes are held in the upstairs studios at the RPI Mueller Center.
Class Schedule
Monday
Mueller Center 2216
All Level Ballet
6:00 - 7:30 PMPointe
7:30 - 8:00 PMTuesday
Mueller Center 2216
Ballet Variations
6:00 - 7:30 PMWednesday
Academy Hall 1500
Hip Hop
6:00 - 7:00 PMSunday
Mueller Center 2216
Contemporary
5:00 - 6:30 PMTap
6:30 - 7:30 PMClass Descriptions
Wide variety of dance styles
Tap
Instructor: Emily Gunter
Tap is based on tap shoes, which have a thick metal on the bottom that's used to make unique sounds. Students will learn coordination and terminology and then apply rhythm into a tap routine. The class will have a warm-up to properly loosen the ankles and knees and then move into center floor work.
Ballet
Instructor: Robin Gifford
Both the beginner and advanced ballet classes begin with exercises at the barre and then move to center for combinations that incorporate the movements practiced at barre in a more performance oriented fashion.
Contemporary Ballet
Instructor: Emily Gunter
Contemporary Ballet is a mix of classical ballet and modern dance. It adapts ballet choreography to today by allowing a greater range of movement than the strict body lines of traditional ballet. This class starts off with a warm up of classical ballet and then combines it with modern dance to move the body in a variety of ways. The dances in this class combine emotions, technique, and the use of space for a beautiful end result.
Hip Hop
Instructor: Edwina McCormick
This class will introduce students to the history of Hip Hop culture with basic moves and original choreography in order to build stamina and increase musicality. Each class begins with a warm up and stretch followed by across the floor and a short combo set to hip hop music. Each class will focus on different hip hop styles, breaking, dancehall, and traditional hip hop moves to develop body balance and coordination.
Ballet Variations
Instructor: Maya Nambisan
Variations is an hour long ballet class focused on learning variations (solo dances by characters) from classical ballets. Throughout the year, we will learn several variations and choose one or two to perform in the recital as a group. The class will begin with a short warm-up barre, and then the rest of the class will be focused on learning the variation. This class is more appropriate for students in advanced ballet, as the pace of the class will be semi-fast, but those with at least some prior ballet training are welcome.
Instructors
Robin Gifford
Ballet Instructor
Robin has devoted her life to dance and the study of the art. She began ballet lessons at age four with former Rockette Agnes Reeves. Robin continued her dance studies, adding jazz, tap and modern. During High School, she spent a summer at the legendary Jacob's Pillow, studying with Lila York, Susan McGuire and Alvin McDuffie, and a semester as an intern for the New York State Theatre Institute. She was also a teaching assistant at State University of New York at Buffalo and the State University of New York of Albany, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts.
Edwina McCormick
Hip Hop Instructor
Edwina has a strong passion for dance! She is trained in ballet, African dance, jazz, and hip hop. She was on her university dance team and competed nationally. She has experience as a NBA dancer, and a backup dancer for tours and events. She is a founding member of an all girl performance group. She is the current coach of the RPI Dance Team which is nationally ranked in Pom and Jazz Divisions.
Emily Gunter
Contemporary Ballet Instructor and Tap Instructor
Emily Gunter is a performing and teaching artist based in New York's capital region. She holds her BA in Dance and Classics from Skidmore College and is originally from Hartford, CT. She has presented original choreography at local museums, is an avid tap dancer, and performs with the Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company, resident company of the Egg Performing Arts Center in Albany, NY. the studio.
Maya Nambisan
Ballet Variations Instructor
Maya has been dancing for 15 years. She has trained in classical ballet at the Hawkins School of Dance in California as well as at the Lewis Foundation of Classical Ballet in Bangalore, India. In her time at The Lewis Foundation she received training and advanced through the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance. She has performed a number of times as a member of the National Youth Ballet in India. She has performed lead roles in a number of Ballet Productions such as Belle in Beauty and the Beast and Lilac Fairy in Sleeping Beauty. Currently she is working towards a dual B.S. in Physics and Mathematics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where she is a member of the RPI Dance Club and teaches classical ballet variations.
Performances
upcoming and past performances
Spring 2024 EMPAC Performance
Saturday, April 20th - 6pm
Our Spring 2024 performance will be held at EMPAC on Saturday, April 20th at 6pm.
Tickets:
We will be selling tickets in the Union on Thursday, April 11th and Tuesday, April 16th from 11am-2pm. Tickets can be bought for $5 for RPI students and $7 for general admission. Tickets can also be bought on show day for $8 on for RPI students and $10 for general admission.
EMPAC Info: The audience can park in the College avenue parking garage adjacent to Cogswell Laboratory. Please CLICK HERE for further details on parking/acessibility
Virtual Option: You can watch the show virtually through this link! - https://youtube.com/live/oA6GQ2oJHxA?feature=share
Photo Gallery
Fun events
E-Board
Meet the officers
Emily Lardizabal
President
Emily Lardizabal started dancing when she was three years old at Acton School of Ballet, where she took ballet and contemporary classes, as well as taught ballet to young students. She joined the Commonwealth Ballet Company in her sophomore year of high school and performed many roles, including Snow Queen in The Nutcracker, and Cinderella in the ballet adaptation of the story Cinderella. Currently, Emily is a second year student, working towards her B.S in Biomedical Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Pia Wilson
Treasurer
Pia Wilson has been dancing most of her life, training in ballet since she was 5 years old. She completed most of the Royal Academy of Dance ballet curriculum in South Africa, where she grew up, until moving to the US in 2021, where she continued dancing at a small studio. She is now a freshman studying Biomedical Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and joined the RPI dance club to continue her love of dancing.
Miranda Lee
Showrunner
Miranda Lee started dancing when she was four years old and is trained in ballet, tap, jazz, and contemporary. She competed with The Force Dance Company for Broadway Bound Dance Center in Hunterdon County, New Jersey for 10 years. She has choreographed for Broadway Bound recitals, and children's musicals local to the Hunterdon area. Currently she is studying Chemical Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where she is also the President of the RPI Dance Club.
Kaleigh Martin
Secretary
Kaleigh Martin began dancing at 4 years old and danced for about 8 years before taking a break. She has since been dancing again for a little under 2 years. She is trained in ballet, contemporary, hip hop, and a little in tap and jazz. Currently she is working on her undergrad in physics here at RPI. She is also an officer trainee for the club.
Ariana Torres
Choreography Chair
Ariana Torres started dancing at six years old at the Coleman School of Dance and graduated high school with a performing arts seal in dance. Balancing roles as both a performer and part-time instructor, she portrayed key characters like Coppelia, Odette, and the Queen of Hearts. Now in her second semester with RPI's Dance Club, Ariana is eager to continue refining her skills and exploring new avenues of expression.
Contact
Contact Us
Our Address
110 8th Street, Troy NY 12180