Two hip-hop dance clubs merge to become one
By Chris Beswetherick
Sini-GANG and WWUHHA, Western’s two hip-hop dance groups merged in May of last school year to create the Sini-HHA, a new dance crew. The club meets inside Fairhaven Complex’s main floor on Tuesdays and Thursdays to practice new choreography, to learn and to dance.
For the last four years, the two groups functioned independently. One year, however, the groups did band together for a dance showcase. The members combined the names of the groups for the showcase which birthed the name Sini-HHA. There were no plans for the group to remain together once the showcase ended, so they each went their separate ways after the event.
Last year, many officers from both clubs graduated and those elected to take over leadership lacked a lot of experience because they were so young.
“WWUHHA would have trouble maintaining practices,” Austin Langsy, Public Relations Director of Sini-HHA, said. “Sini-Gang had the same problem but they did not have enough choreographers to cover and the member retention rate was going down. The merge made it easier for us to schedule practices and open sessions [which are] 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.”
At these practices and open sessions, members of the club line up and rehearse their routines. Usually, the dancers perform moves in time and relative to other dancers in the room. The simultaneity of their steps enhances their overall routine to create their entertaining show and to teach their members how to dance.
“The new SINI-HHA is a club that provides a safe and welcoming environment for dancers of all levels. We want to expand the dance community at WWU and the Bellingham community as well,” Langsy said. “We really push for self growth and expressions through dance. All styles are welcome, all ages and anyone who can make it to our practices.”
So far this year, the club has performed at the AS events like the Info Fair as well as Break Down the Ballot. The club choreographed their routine for the show at the Info Fair, and at Break Down the Ballot, members from the club were break dancing as students were debating the ballot and learning how to vote.
For now, the club continues their weekly practices and invites anyone to participate. Austin Langsy invites anyone to add him on Facebook so they can learn more about the group, and check out their facebook page “Sini-Hha” at https://www.facebook.com/sinihha/.
ABOVE: The Sini-HHA members take a group photo before their showcase. Photo by Ricky Rath // AS Review.