“5, 6, 7, 8, down, up…” yells Kailey Lyford, chief officer of the UConn Dance Company, a student-run dance ensemble. Lyford has been a member of the Company since her freshman year, and now has enough experience to serve as a choreographer.

As she continues to direct her peers, Lyford hones in on the details of the choreography, saying, “How am I going to do this with three of you?” and “I guess we can pick something in the music.”

UDC started under the name DanceWorks in 2008. Since then, it has evolved into a group of devoted dancers who take their performances very seriously. They perform many different genres, including hip hop, ballet, jazz, modern, and more.

The members of UDC get right to work as soon as they enter their practice space in the Student Union Ballroom. With their backpacks left at the door, the students quickly transform themselves into dancers.

UDC rehearsals are intense, with the choreographers calling out brief instructions. But the dancers are clearly having fun, and whenever there’s a free moment, they joke around with each other. The practice for each song runs until the last minute of its time slot, and the final run-through of each dance is recorded on camera to measure progress.

“To an outsider this rehearsal must look crazy, but it’s the norm for the girls,” says Lyford. “They need to take advantage of the time they are given to practice. We all have busy schedules, since we also take classes.”

The Company strives to maintain a high level of performance.

“We used to have over 60 dancers but decided that’s too many to organize,” says Stephanie Douglas, a senior who serves both as UDC’s chief financial officer and as a choreographer for the group. “We wanted a higher level of dancing, and downsizing was the way to do that.”

There are currently 32 girls in the company.

The dancers are re-evaluated twice a year, with auditions held by the group’s executive board each semester. There are also tryouts for members who want to choreograph pieces for the Company.

At the end of each semester, the UDC puts on a showcase performance. Every element is designed by the student members, including choreography, music, and lighting.

The spring showcase, held April 30 in the Student Union Ballroom, centered on the theme “I Need Something I Can Dance To,” a reference to a song by the musical group the Knocks. A sultry jazz dance opened the show to a classic tune by the artist Prince. UDC performed 12 dance pieces in various styles, with guest performances by other student groups, such as the Tap Team, Rolling Tones, and Dance Team. The night ended on a high note with a heartfelt contemporary jazz piece.

In addition to the showcase each semester, UDC participates in other activities on campus, such as HuskyTHON, a dance marathon fund-raising event, and other forms of philanthropy. On March 29, the Company took part in Best Dance Crew, a competition held at UConn for dance groups from various different schools.

For more information on the UConn Dance Company, visit their website.