New hip-hop dance club keeps students on beat
If you walk down the sheltered walk inside the Huston Huffman Center, or perhaps on the sidewalk outside, on a clear Wednesday night, the loud beats and booming bass of an upbeat hip-hop song just might meet your ears.
Chelsea Lott, The Oklahoma Daily
At the Huff on February 15 Wednesday night Senior President Alex Eppler (middle) leads students in a hip hop routine. Crimson Beats was created for students to come for a fun and free time to learn to dance.
No, it isn’t a Zumba class — it’s Crimson Beat, OU’s newest hip-hop dance club.
Founded in the fall of 2010 by OU senior Benjamin Paston, President Alex Eppler and Vice President Erin Jacobs, the group was formed with one goal in mind — to devote themselves to the education, fun and progress of pop and hip-hop dance, Jacobs said.
What was the inspiration behind this bold statement, the metaphorical apple that fell on Paston’s head? A love of dance and the desire to create a group where it didn’t matter whether or not its members had any experience, or had ever attended a dance class before was that apple, Patson said.
You may be wondering what a lofty mission statement such as this had lead to. The answer? A class based in the Huff, that is growing daily, summed up in the words of its vice president Erin Jacobs: “Any major, any time, and no fees.”
Crimson Beat is a relaxed group focused on fun — no dues required, Jacobs said. Anyone, no matter what major or level of dance experience they have, can come in, on any given Wednesday and participate in the club.
The routines are all choreographed by Eppler. Some weeks, Crimson Beat will arrange for a guest choreographer to lead the club meeting, Jacobs said. The choreographers have had a repertoire ranging from the group’s hip-hop staple, to more unique dances styles such as lyrical or even crunk, she said.
The club doesn’t just meet weekly to dance and learn from professionals, they also organize events and performances throughout the year.
The next event will be the intermission performance at the Mr. Gaylord pageant on Feb. 28.
The Oklahoma Daily is committed to serving you with accurate coverage. Please submit a correction request if you find an error, and an editor will review the mistake.
Join the conversation
The Oklahoma Daily is pleased to provide you the opportunity to share your thoughts and views about the issues of the day. By joining the conversation, you agree to the terms and conditions listed in our comment policy. Log in to your Facebook account to leave a comment.
Read the OUDaily.com Comment Policy to learn more about our guidelines