By Azhley Rodriguez
COVID-19 has taken a toll on an innovative student dance team Melanin Fuse that aims to “incorporate different styles of dance to make everybody feel comfortable.”
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the team hasn’t performed or practiced together in a year. Captain Elizabeth Mills wants to improve the team’s aspect and their look.
Melanin Fuse is a subgroup of Black Student Union, but the team is not just for Black students on campus. They are one of three different dance teams at Dominican. Estilo is another dance team on campus that is a subgroup of the Organization for Latin American Students that specializes in Latin dance.
“I’ve been wanting to restart the team this year, but COVID-19 has restricted me from doing so,” Mills said.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Melanin Fuse danced during halftime at basketball games on campus and events that were hosted on campus like the Halloween Dance and a dance in the springtime.
Now, the team is at a crossroads on how to continue their practices.
The dance studio where practices are held is room 200 in the Magnus Art Center (MAC) building, which is not a big enough space to host a dance team greater than five and be socially distanced.
“How are we going to practice and social distance?” Mills said. “It’s just so scary.”
Dance teams on campus are considered “clubs” and are not deemed as sports. Therefore, the practice space, times and priority are not the same as the sports teams on campus.
As a senior who is graduating at the end of this semester, Mills said, “my only hope is that whoever has a calling or talent for dance, they will see it and take over.”
Arodriguez2@my.dom.edu
*Photo taken by Black Student Union in 2018.
