By Lauren Smith
CCC Journalism Program
BLACKWOOD – Auditions for Camden County College’s Dance Ensemble Club took place Wednesday, Oct. 19 in the dance classroom in Lincoln Hall on the Blackwood campus.
The Dance Ensemble Club has existed on the campus for about 15 years, says the club overseer, Mariarosa Milorey. Milorey has been teaching at Camden County College for 20 years and has been directing the dance concerts since the club started. Last year, the club was brought back by former president Danielle Rieger.
“I restarted the club because the dance program doesn’t get any funds from the school so all costumes for our shows were out-of-pocket expenses and it can get very costly,” Rieger says.
In the club’s second year back on campus, it has a new president, Keisha Lingo, a student at Camden County College. Lingo has been dancing since she was 3 years old and would like to open up her own dance school in the future.
Club members are taught many different styles of dance, such as jazz, modern, ballet, lyrical, hip-hop, and African dance for their annual concerts in the fall and spring. The club will hold performances that are choreographed by students and faculty in December and on April 13 and 14.
Lingo states you do not need dance experience to dance or become a member of the club. To join, you must go to the student activities office located next to the cafeteria and fill out a form to audition or just become a club member. The club welcomes students who may want to come and help with costumes, props, makeup, and many other things in preparation for their concerts.
The club corresponds with the dance course that is offered at Camden County College, but you do not have to be in the course to become a member of the club. The club does not have a specific number of spots and each semester tryouts are held so each student has an opportunity to become a part of the club.
For more information on when and where the club meets, go to the student activities office on the Blackwood campus and speak to Lingo.
Students learn an African style dance for the club audition process. By Lauren Smith, CCC Journalism Program