Dedicated Hip Hop Club Unites Through Dance

Published: February 18, 2015 | Author: Olyvia Meyer | Read Time: 2 minutes

The beat that keeps the heart of the Hip Hop Club pumping isn’t the sound of the bass drum in the music they dance to – it’s the friendship that unites them.

It’s family.

When new recruits walk through the doors of the practice studio for the first time, they may not know what they’re getting into. But, in coming weeks, after spending countless rehearsal hours with their crew, they soon discover what it is that makes this club so special.

“We welcome everyone,” says Brett Trapnell club president, “but we require dedication. We’re not looking for someone to show up and flake out – that, I think, is how we’re able to maintain such team unity.”

This unity is something worthy of admiration. One of the most active organizations on Southern Utah University’s campus, Hip Hop Club members are together in everything they do, be it attending the Scream in coordinated costumes or showing up at the BSU Step Show, the Hip Hop Club never goes unnoticed.

“We like to be together,” says Trapnell, “We’re like a family. When you come in to the Hip Hop Club you’re going to have friends — everyone there is going to treat you like they’ve known you for a long time. That’s just how we function.”

Thanks to the camaraderie and skill of each member in this family, members become excellent dancers. One member teaches at a local dance studio, some come from a tumbling background, and others are breakdancing and freestyling experts. 

“But don’t think you have to be experienced dancer to join,” Trapnell reassures, “Everybody has something to add to the group. We have had members come in who had no experience and two left feet. It’s been fun watching them grow. Now they’ll go into the center of dance circles to show what they’ve learned.”

Each semester the group welcomes all those who wish to join, and some come from much further away than others. Last semester, the crew was sad to say goodbye to an Australian student who had become a member of the Hip Hop Club family. But with that loss came 14 new students who found their way to the studio this semester, doubling the membership from last year. 

But the club isn’t just an outlet to hone dance skills. Trapnell explains that the Hip Hop Club has grown closer together from evenings spent not dancing. “One of our members from the Middle East came to practice one day with traditional food. He made enough food for the entire crew and didn’t ask for anything in return. We sat on the floor surrounding the food and sharing that experience with him. It was awesome.”

Members come from all parts of the world, all majors on campus, and from very different backgrounds, but what brings them together is more than just dance – it’s a sense of belonging.

To join the Hip Hop Club, visit T-Bird Connection or drop by the Entertainment Bureau, within the Sharwan Smith Student Center, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7 p.m.

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