A look into the dance of SINI-HHA

Video by Julia Kohut

Click here to read the story that pairs with this video

[embed]https://youtu.be/-Dd7UbOy9v0[/embed]

*staccato music starts*

Annie Cha:

The root of the club, inclusivity and welcoming, is really what drives it and really attracts everyone to join.

Stevie:

Yeah, I didn’t want to go to a lot of practices because I was tired and I was afraid I wouldn’t have any friends there, but there’s always friends there.

“Ha, stepping as I rock to this

I’m a hot shot eye pop, bodies drop to this

You see I got the bliss

nobody could best this

Moving the way I move, yeah, I’m hard to miss

I’m an artist and the way I started was easy”

Bethany:

It’s my favorite part of college probably.

“Been tryna maintain what’s eatin my brain

So I had to get back on the dancefloor

I’m letting it go, I settled my scores

I’m ready to blow now

“I need you to come with me, don’t be scared girl, it’s easy

We gon’ rock to the beat just follow my feet and we can move freely

’Cause I’m new to this life, oh baby, I’ve been up all night

But I need you to come take this ride with me

“Uh, and from the sun to the moon

We’ll never give up, we gon’ move

Now what I want you to do

Is light everything up in the room

We gon’ jump to the groove like

’Cause we can’t dance all day and all night

This is our moment, baby

Annie Cha:

“Hi everybody I’ve been with SINI-HHA for six years. It first started in 2016, and that was my freshman year of college at Western. Started out as a dancer, and then I really liked the club, really liked the energy, and I wanted to continue dance outside of high school. It used to be really small, and we just kinda expanded everything. It’s really grown into something really amazing cause of the work of the officers and the dancers and the inclusivity aspect of SINI-HHA. Dance is — — all it really is just about welcoming and energy and vibing off each other. And that’s what SINI-HHA has always been done since it started and it’s continuously doing. So it’s amazing to see it, stepping aside, no longer in a leadership position, but watching it grow and seeing people lead it and see the next generation it’s been amazing.

Keith Echague:

“It helped me grow as a dancer throughout my years here at Western. And I was able to establish a lot of friendships, long lasting friendships in this club and so like, being apart of this club, it’s like, it’s bigger than what I thought it was going to be. And I just say, I just want to pass it down like, I’m really excited to see the new generation of dancers coming in. Cause being here for 5 years and seeing the club grow to the way it’s looks amazing. Go SINI-HHA!

Ringo Rameriez:

“So I’m going to be an officer for SINI-HHA next year and I’m really excited because I feel like I got to SINI-HHA feeling like a little in the out group. But now I feel like SINI-HHA is more like a family, and I’m really excited to be apart of like the officer team next year and make sure everyone feels included in SINI-HHA and yeah, just like making new friends.

Maddie Miller:

“SINI-HHA has truly been an amazing gift and I’m so appreciative to be here in this moment with it. And my freshman year I wasn’t able to have a showcase, so this year, my last year, being in showcase, having my own piece, dancing out there, being with the people I love is the best experience in the world, and I hope everyone gives it a chance or have a group so loving as this one.

Bethany Lynch:

“It’s coming to practice and learning choreography from different people each week and just getting to learn new combinations and different styles of people from all levels has helped me improve so much. And it’s given me the opportunity to choreograph.

Marina Clever:

“From everything that I’ve studied and all the clubs I’ve gone to or whatever I’ve been apart of, SINI-HHA is the thing that’s going to stick with me the most and has impacted me the most as an artist, a performer, and a community member, and I’m just really psyched that we’re here again. We get to finally perform on stage again. People who have never performed on stage before with us get to perform on stage with us and get to experience that and experience the joy of not just dancing for yourself but dancing for an audience as well, as a community, being with the people that you love, and just the fact we’re like getting the community at Western all tied together and collaborating with each other again is really nice.

“Cause baby, I’ve been up all night

But I need you to come take this ride with me

“Uh, and from the sun to the moon

We’ll never give up, we gon’ move

Now what I want you to do”