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The Starlett dancers are preparing for the first annual Spring Dance Showcase at Texas Wesleyan University April 23. The dancers join with the Boys and Girls Club of Fort Worth.
Many of the dances the Starletts will perform are from their experience at the Universal Dance Association Spirit Camp this past summer in San Marcos.
The Starletts came out of camp with distinguished honors including traditional fight song recognition, home pom recognition, 11 blue individual ribbons, two red individual ribbons and an overall team superior gold.
“This year has been great because our dancers have gone above and beyond,” said Carolyn Ikens-Owen, director of dance. “We started the team in 2008, and last year was a complete positive turnaround for the program. We represent Wesleyan well and have become another quality program on campus.”
The Starletts dance team includes junior captain Margo Wring, junior Amber Sanders and freshmen Yvette Rodriguez and Kesha Carter.
Wring wanted to include the Boys and Girls Club of Fort Worth in the showcase to open their eyes to the art of dance.
“I figured it would be a good way to give back and incorporate kids from our community,” Wring said. “I wanted to help them realize they can do anything once they set their minds to it and try.”
The girls from the Boys and Girls Club range from ages 8 to 12.
“It’s all about fun and creating the potential for the girls to become interested in dance and Texas Wesleyan University,” Wring said.
The Starletts have been practicing with the girls since the beginning of April.
A variety of dances will be showcased such as jazz, hip hop, pom and lyrical. Each Starlett, except for Rodriguez who is out due to injury, will perform a solo dance.
The Starletts will also perform with the girls to Boom Boom Pow by the Black Eyed Peas.
The routine is a home routine the Starletts performed at camp, with a few alterations to make the routine more kid friendly for the young girls.
“We want to show them that there are young women in the community who can make a positive impact in their lives and surround them with good role models who perform as dancers and students,” Wring said.
Ikens-Owen said the girls are the future of Wesleyan.
“The girls are a part of our community, and our Starletts are great mentors to them through dance,” she said. “They are teaching the girls the importance of education and giving them the opportunity to learn other activities that are fun and rewarding.”
The showcase is intended to get the community involved and attract groups such as the Polytechnic High School dance team and local dance studios to join in future showcases at Wesleyan.
For next year, Wring already has a vision: to get a dance camp started at Wesleyan that will lead to a larger summer showcase for the community.
“Summertime is when kids get in the most trouble, and it will be a way for them to get off the streets,” she said.
While the Starletts main appearances are at the Ram’s basketball games, they are also looking to attend other sporting events next semester.
“The Starletts are willing to support any department on campus to represent the university in a positive manner,” Ikens-Owen said.
The free performance is at 7 p.m. April 23 in Martin Hall.
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