Alex Tamura and Julianna Trowbridge: Amatory Dance Crew

From the Finance club to Intramural sports, UCSB students are involved in a wide arrange of activities on campus. This week, I interviewed Alex Tamura and Julianna Trowbridge, who are both members of Amatory Dance Crew, a UCSB hip-hop dance crew that prides itself in expressing emotion through dance. Alex and Julianna gave HerCampus the inside scoop on why they chose the Amatory Dance Crew, what type of dance they enjoy and when their next performance will be!
 
What organizations are you involved in on campus?
We are involved in Amatory Dance Crew. Amatory is all about expressing yourself!
 
How long have you been involved in this organization?
We both auditioned spring quarter 2010, so we have been on Amatory for a year.
 
Did you meet each other through this organization? If not, how did you meet?
We have been going to school together since middle school and actually danced with the same program in high school. We have remained close friends since then, and actually auditioned for the dance crew together!
 
What made you join this organization over others?
We were really drawn to the family-like aspect of the team. Amatory team members become very close with all the time we spend together, the bonding activities, and the blood, sweat, and tears we share in dancing together. We also liked how welcoming the team was to different styles and experience levels. Rather than accepting only those who are exceptional in their style, Amatory invests energy in improving its members in order for them to grow. We were both amateur hip-hop dancers when we auditioned, but have grown with the help of the team. Amatory is all about learning from each other and collaborating.
 
What do you do in this organization?
There is a lot of practice time behind each performance piece. Amatory practices about 6 hours a week, during which we are constantly learning new routines and shaping up old ones. These routines are choreographed by members who want to contribute, making for a diverse number. We perform for various organizations and events that request our entertainment. Previous performances have included the Multicultural Show, Yard Show, Black Studies graduation, Santa Barbara dance day, and a variety of fundraisers. Amatory also invests a lot of time in bonding activities. We have had team sleepovers, a Disneyland trip, a Magic Mountain trip, and several team parties. Our team has become very close with all the experiences we share. And we are always welcoming of new members to join our family!
 
What type of dance does this organization focus on? What is your favorite type of dance?
With all of the high-energy rap and pop music that we choreograph to, our dances tend to be focused on hip-hop. We try to incorporate different genres into our routines, which makes for a unique style. Both of us love contemporary, but hip-hop has won over our hearts!
 
How long you have been dancing?
We’ve been dancing together for 6 years. At Marin School of the Arts, we trained primarily in contemporary, ballet, modern, and tap, so hip-hop was initially a challenge for both of us. But now we got swag!
 
Your favorite song to dance to?
Anything that we can pop, lock, and drop to!
 
Where will your next performance be?
RELAY FOR LIFE!! This is our first time performing there, and we are excited to support such a great cause! So come out and show your support for the team and the American Cancer Society! We will also be performing May 14th at the Yard Show, so come check out our team and other hip-hop and step teams on campus!
 
For more information about Amatory, visit our website or Facebook! We’re always looking for new members!
http://amatorydancecrew.weebly.com/index.html
https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Amatory-Dance-Crew/88892566389