The Miami Dance Corps: A club for expression and friendship

For many years, Miami University has been a place where students could thrive, not just academically, but socially as well. But how has Miami created this place where so many friendships flourish? The answer lies in the hundreds of clubs that have been established around the campus.

One such group that has had a profound impact on its members is the Miami Dance Corps (MDC).

Established in 2011 under the name Miami Ballet Corps, the group’s initial focus was on practicing and performing in the ballet dance style. However, since 2017, the club has transitioned from focusing solely on ballet to encompassing a broader range of practice.

Paige Lender, a senior majoring in biology and journalism and secretary of MDC, said she transitioned from practicing ballet throughout her childhood to now having the opportunity to express herself through dance in various forms.

“We do everything:o hip-hop, a little bit of jazz, modern, lyrical,” Lender said. “I try to squeeze in a little bit of ballet here and there, too ... Our instructor team is super creative, and they always have new combos and styles for us to learn.”

While all members will participate in different dances, there is also an opportunity to become a sub-instructor or a full instructor. These roles range from leading the class in warm-ups and stretches to teaching floor combinations and group dances, which are performed at MDC’s end-of-year showcase.

One member who was able to take on both of these roles throughout her time with the group was MDC’s president, Sara Zdrojewski, a senior majoring in primary education. Starting her first year, Zdrojewski instantly fell in love with the group and knew she wanted to be more involved, leading her to run for president.

“I am so beyond excited to be president,” Zdrojewski said. “I love the club so dearly. It brought me like the best of friends, and I’ve made the best memories there, so I’m excited to get back.”

As the president, Zdrojewski will take on many responsibilities, including supporting every member of the group and ensuring that they feel welcome. While many other dance clubs require their members to audition, MDC has an open, non-audition policy, allowing all levels of experience to participate, while also creating a space where dancers don’t feel like they have to compete with each other.

“I was over the competitive nature [at my former studio], and I just wanted friends to dance with and to have a place to just be myself,” Lender said. “After auditioning a bunch [my whole life], I was just over it, and then I came across their Instagram and I was like ‘Wait, that might actually be a good option.’”

After Lender’s first class, she realized that the competitiveness that so many dance groups face did not seem to be a problem in MDC.

Lender was not the only person to feel a sense of belonging with the group. Abby Worly, a sophomore marketing and entrepreneurship student and MDC’s PR chair, said she felt this connection right away. After researching the university’s dance clubs for months before moving to Miami in the fall of 2024, Worly was finally able to meet with the leaders of all these clubs, and, to her delight, she was able to find her new home.

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“I went to Mega Fair, and I remember talking to the executive board of Miami Dance Corps, and they were all so friendly and welcoming,” Worly said. “I attended their open house and actually fell in love with everyone that was in it and the way they taught.”

Along with participating in small and large group dances, Worly was given the opportunity to choreograph her own dance and perform in it alongside her friends and teammates.

“Not only is the dancing amazing, but the friendships and bonds that we’ve created [are spectacular],” Worly said. “It really does feel like such a close-knit family, and, to be honest, like [the first] year of college is a very nerve-racking time […] I felt like when I joined, I was welcomed with such open arms.”

While the club practices twice a week in the studio, located in Phillips Hall, room 115, this is not the only opportunity for members to see each other. About once a month, the group hosts social events that don’t involve dance, such as a bonfire or a holiday party at the end of the fall semester.

Along with these events, MDC holds a showcase in Hall Auditorium every April to show the hard work and dedication that each member has put into their dances.

According to Lender, the Miami Dance Corps has created an amazing place for students to thrive outside the stress of academics, allowing members to express themselves alongside some of their best friends.

“Right away, it felt like the right place to be,” Lender said.

pedenae@miamioh.edu