“[Dance Arts Society] is very yellow,” business freshman Cadence Kubacak said.
“Yellow is bright, happy and joyful,” president of DAS Kaitlin Ramsay said.
Although the official color of DAS is blue, both Ramsay and Kubacak agree that yellow captures the spirit of the organization — one of the reasons why dancers return semester after semester.
What began in 2001 with 10 dancers in a small studio space evolved into the largest dance organization at Texas A&M with over 200 active members and a schedule full of shows and masterclasses. DAS fills its studios across campus — from the Student Rec Center to the Physical Education Activity Program (or PEAP) building — and even rents Expressions Dance Studio when needed to give its dancers the space to flourish. With flexible scheduling, open and welcoming spaces and, most importantly, a supportive and a rivalry free environment DAS envelops all its dancers under its umbrella.
“The vibe of DAS was so non-competitive and uplifting; it was very different than what I’m used to, being a competitive dancer,” nutrition junior Emma Bertelson said.
Many dancers that joined DAS came from a competitive background. From dancing 18 hours a week in high school to only a few hours in college, the shift was dramatic but necessary for those who are ready to step off the competition treadmill and slow things down. For instruction and curriculum graduate student Rose Rogers, DAS marked her return to dance.
“I danced [for my] high school drill team,” Rogers said. “I thought, ‘I’m not going to dance again,’ and then I saw the show in the fall of my freshman year.”
From there, it was an uphill journey for Rogers. Now, as a fifth year member, she has seen the organization thrive and adapt to its growing numbers.
“The limit of how many dances you can do has grown — people weren’t in every single dance [but] now you can do more than you used to be able to,” she said. “They’ve [also] made the dance length a lot shorter with the intention to have more dances in the show.”
These changes were not made to limit dancers: in fact, these changes were the result of the organization doubling in size.
“Usually [the] average number for auditions would be around 40 [people] because you’re only going to take around 20 in every dance,” Rogers said. “Last spring, I held an audition for my dance and I had 97 people come, which was a big number. I knew I couldn’t have 97 people on stage, but it was really cool to see that many people were interested.”
Each semester brings in new faces, and with them come new activities. Aside from the dances, the organization cultivates friendships as well. It fulfills the primary purpose as to why people join a campus organization — to foster friendships extending well beyond a single semester.
“DAS dates — you get paired with a few random people and you go do something with people you might not meet otherwise if they’re not in your rehearsal,” hospitality, hotel management and tourism sophomore Audrey Terrill said. “I got to meet two really sweet girls, and we talked about life, and one of them is obsessed with the same book series as I am.”
The late-night rehearsals, the Gumby’s pizza rolls before a show and the shared nervousness when the curtains rise are the connecting threads that weave together DAS. From first-year members testing the waters in masterclasses to fifth-year veterans like Rogers helping guide auditions, every member brings in a creative yet collaborative element.
“[DAS] kind of works itself out to be able to keep growing because the more people that join, the more choreographers we get, which opens more doors for more dances,” Ramsay said.
