Dance group encourages creativity and team bonding
With more than a decade on campus at Central Michigan University, Infusion Dance Team has had time to develop into a well-established registered student organization.
Leadership changes periodically and participation can vary from year to year, but Infusion still upholds its original mission statement: to provide an outlet for dancers to practice and improve their craft in a friendly and active setting.
“Infusion is a great way to continue dancing through college," said Amy Beaupied Infusion Dance Team President. "After high school a lot of people lose the feeling of being in a real dance team or dancing in a real studio. At Infusion we simply just make it fun."
The all girl dance group stands out from other dance organizations at CMU by abandoning specification on a particular dance style. Jazz, hip-hop, lyrical contemporary and even some ballet, are all dance styles that are studied and practiced by Infusion and creativity is always welcomed.
According to Infusion’s Orgsync page, Infusion will, “cater to the preferences and strengths of the members of the team.” This helps to establish an accepting and stress-free environment.
Infusion participates in a variety of campus events, most recently twirling down Main Street as part of the Homecoming Parade before the football game on Saturday Oct. 6. In the past, Infusion performed at Relay for Life, an annual fundraising event sponsored by the American Cancer Society, various campus events like Up All Night, Siblings Weekend, and others.
Beaupied said “for events, the president and vice president will choreograph the dances and teach them to everybody followed by a lot of practice. We’re usually pretty chill, but we focus on that last practice before the performance to be really intense and to clean the routine.”
Sometimes you can catch Infusion rehearsing in the Student Activity Center hallways.
Perhaps the most compelling characteristic of Infusion is the relationships the dancers form with each other.
Walled Lake Senior Sydnee Gaffney has been a member of Infusion since the beginning of her sophomore year and has been a dancer almost her entire life. She said joining Infusion was a rewarding decision.
“It’s always awkward teaming up with a group of girls you hardly know," Gaffney said. "For me it took about a semester to open up but, I’m so happy I stuck with it because it’s great now."
For Gaffney, joining Infusion meant making lifelong friends, she said.
“I would like to think we are welcoming to all our new girls, I know it can be intimidating when you enter a new group, but I’ve met some of my best friends through Infusion, two of my roommates I’ve even met through Infusion.”
Infusion’s members are a collection of powerfully passionate dancers that typically exhibit prior dancing experience before becoming a member.
Auditions for joining are held at the beginning of every semester. Gaffney’s said her message to newcomers is “put yourself out there and don’t hold back.”
The group is active on their Twitter and Instagram pages, both @cmu_idt, frequently posting photos from performances and updates for anyone wishing to audition or catch them at an event.
