Dance Just Got Interesting

So You Think You Can Dance?

You may have seen them on the sidelines at hockey or basketball games, and even at the annual Quad Jam showing off their dance moves, but do you know who they are? The Manhattanville Dance Troupe (MDT) has been performing at countless school events throughout the years and they have been incredibly successful. While some may not think that dance is a considered a “real” sport, the MDT have certainly been able to make an argument that in fact it is a sport.

The Manhattanville Dance Troupe practice at least three times a week and they also perform at a couple school games and other functions. MDT is a student based dance group where most of the decisions are made by the students themselves. This year the MDT will have three captains in charge: Juliane Pettorossi, Elisabeth Ritter, and Rachel Johnson. Just like for any Mville sport team, in order to be a part of this team auditions must be held in order for an individual to make the final cut.

In order to make the final cut, you must be incredibly disciplined. You must be ready to dance for hours on end, and you must be ready to use your flexibility. The choreography that goes into each dance varies. The MDT performs various styles such as jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, and tap so the dancer should also be ready to contribute to any of those styles. Above all if you want to be a part of the MDT you must be dedicated.

Manhattanville Dance Troupe at Downtown Disney (2014)

For the past three years the Manhattanville Dance Troupe has been able to take their talents down to Downtown Disney and perform there. This event usually takes place in the summer and they take great pride in being able to represent the Mville community. In order to make this happen they need a certain number of people according to the Disney guidelines in order to be able to go and with that they need to audition in order to perform there.

It is definitely not an easy task but the MDT has been able to continue their success. While being a member of the MDT is more often left to the pros at Manhattanville, the college also has a group called the Manhattanville Dance Ensemble. The Manhattanville Dance Ensemble is a less intense version of MDT that is open to just about anyone who is interested in dancing or learning how to dance.

There are many opportunities for the students to involve themselves through dance at various levels. The Manhattanville Dance Ensemble could also be seen as a stepping stone for those who are intrigued by the possibility of joining the Manhattanville Dance Troupe one day.