Originally published April 13, 2011 at 10:16 p.m., updated April 13, 2011 at 10:16 p.m.
The Kansas Union roared with applause and cheering last night as dance troupe ‘Naachformers’ was deemed this year’s KU’s Best Dance Crew.
Sakeeb Mehdi, a senior from Bangladesh dances in KU's Best Dance Crew Wednesday night at the Union. Mehdi competed against three other teams for a $500 prize.
Video
Students show off their moves to prove Best Dance Crew
Wednesday night, SUA hosted KU's fourth annual Best Dance Crew Competition. KUJH-TV's Stephanie Schultz tells us more about the dance showdown.
Students, families and faculty members gathered at the Kansas Union Ballroom to watch four different dance troupes compete for the title of KU’s Best Dance Crew and a cash prize of $500.
“It went very smoothly, and we had a good turnout,” said Sara Miller, SUA’s cultural arts coordinator and a junior from St. Francis, Kan.
This was Naachformers’ first year performing at the event. However, Miller said she was not surprised by Naachformers’ win this year.
“I saw the rehearsal and the talent they brought,” Miller said.
While other troupes practiced their routine for months, Mahmood Khal, Naachformers’ team captain and Bangladesh senior, said they put their Bollywood and hip-hop style dance together the week before the show.
“I had a club on campus called Volume and Dance Project,” Khal said. “We weren’t really expecting to win to be honest. One of our crew members started crying because she made a mistake onstage.”
Dance troupe Jeeva has won the University’s competition the past two years. Both Jeeva and Naachformers were selected as finalists, and the other two dance groups that competed then showed their vote by standing next to the banner of the group they thought should win.
“Jeeva has a huge support system,” Khal said. “When almost everyone came to our group— that was just amazing.”
This is SUA’s fourth year planning the event, which began shortly after the premiere of MTV’s television show “America’s Best Dance Crew.”
“It has been a lifelong dream of mine,” Karishma Khetani, Overland Park freshman and Jeeva troupe member, said referring to dancing. “It’s a great opportunity to incorporate an extracurricular and do something I’ve always loved to do.”
Jeeva’s routine featured a fusion of Bollywood, hip-hop and a classical Indian dance style called Bharata Natyam.
“People really love the cultural side of our dances,” Khetami said. “We do it really intensely, and we put our heart into it.”
— Edited by Erin Wilbert
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