Olivia Corradin said she could not simply abandon her passion for dance after pursuing it for 15 years. Other dancers at Marquette, such as Sophia Anagnos, echoed similar sentiments. As a result, Corradin and Anagnos co-founded Pure Dance Marquette.
Established in the spring of 2007, Pure Dance provides an opportunity for dancers to continue their training in a team environment, Corradin said.
The Marquette group is affiliated with the University of Michigan's dance organization, Pure Dance Extreme. Corradin and Anagnos, both sophomores in the College of Arts & Sciences, loosely modeled Pure Dance after the University of Michigan's group, Corradin said.
As a member of the executive board, Anagnos is helping to lay the foundation for the club's future. Pure Dance has come a long way in a year, she said.
"We learn by trial and error, and decide for ourselves how to run the group," Anagnos said. "And of course, the professionalism has increased. We had more girls at tryouts and hopefully we will continue to improve."
More than 50 dancers auditioned for the 16 to 18 available spots on the team. The dancers have a variety of experience, ranging from cheerleading to studio dancing.
Pure Dance gives dancers the opportunity to gain more experience, as well as spend more time practicing year-round. The team-oriented environment enables dancers to connect with one another, Corradin said.
"Many dancers come from practicing 40 hours a week," she said. "And it's hard to give it up."
The group practices and performs two types of dance: jazz and lyrical.
"Jazz is a dance for the audience and it's more technical and upbeat," Corradin said. "Lyrical is dancing to the words of music and is more an internalized expression."
Jazz sends energy out into the audience, whereas energy comes from within for a lyrical dance, she said.
Pure Dance practices every Wednesday night in the Weasler Auditorium from 7 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Smaller groups also rehearse individually on Saturdays.
Leah Alberson, a sophomore in the College of Health Sciences, said the time she and her teammates spend together helps to shape their friendships.
"The closeness comes from practices," said Alberson, who has been dancing since middle school. "It's easy to bond with dancers who share a common passion."
Pure Dance showcases its talents each semester in a performance that raises money for a chosen charity, Corradin said. This semester's performance is scheduled for Friday, April 11. The theme is "Games" because dancers intend to raise money for the Special Olympics. Last semester the team performed dances with a "WILD" theme and raised money for the World Wildlife Fund. Corradin said she hopes to organize more shows as the group continues to grow.
As Pure Dance continues to develop, Anagnos said she hopes the newest members continue to become close with one another.
"If you ask what defines me, it would be dance, and the other girls feel the same way," Alberson said.
Three members of the team also performed in the Spotlight Talent Show last night. Alberson said she hopes dancers continue to step up and be involved within their group. She said she already sees a motivation in the younger dancers to lend a hand in the advancement of the organization.
"We're a team, working together and learning together," Alberson said.
The team is still looking for dancers, Corradin said. Auditions for this semester will be Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in the Varsity Theatre.