By Mona Lisa Tucker/south news editor
The South Campus Velocity Dance Company has performed for more than 1,000 people this semester, associate professor of dance Gypsy Ingram said.
Velocity’s first performance was at The Move to Groove Ball, she said.
“It’s a festival that happens every three months, and it’s just a showcase of different choreographers and their work,” she said. “And this time, there were 687 people in the audience.
“That was their very first performance as a company this semester, and they did such a good job, they’ve been invited to come back and perform in February.”
Velocity has also performed at a humanities conference show, the South Dallas Dance Festival and the SE Campus Joint Concert.
Upcoming events will be at the seventh annual Dance Salad at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2-3 on South and Holiday in the Park at Six Flags over Texas at 5 p.m. Dec. 9.
“So they’re gonna have been seen by a lot of different people in a lot of venues by the time the semester is over,” she said. “And we’re really excited about that.”
Velocity dancer Liz Sarna is hearing-impaired. Nonetheless, she has been dancing for more than 25 years, she said.
Sarna was raised like a child with normal hearing but needed to be in the front of her classes to learn. When she started college, she informed instructors about her disability, she said.
“And they were great in trying to accommodate me, but accommodating for a dance class is a little bit harder because it’s not as simple as having somebody take notes for you,” she said.
“It’s a lot of movement. I love Velocity. It’s a nice family, and it’s a way to get away from the stresses of everyday. It gives me a chance to dance and do what I love.”
South student Chelsea Cherie Freeman said her family is not close, so she enjoys being part of Velocity.
“To me, it’s really special. It’s like the first time in a long time where I actually felt like I belong, a part of family,” she said. “It’s really something that I hold really dear to my heart.”
Student Rachel Rhey, who has been with Velocity for about six years, said the bond is great.
However, after having her son, she thought her persona had to change.
“It’s helped me find myself again, not just be a mom, not just be a wife,” she said. “We’re a big support group.”
