On Monday, April 10th, at 6:00 pm, in the E.E. Simmons Gymnasium, the Royal Braves Dance Team (RBDT) hosted “The Biggest Dance Session”.
The purpose behind this event was to let those students who have a love for dance or just want to have fun dancing come out and showcase their talents. Dancing plays a big part at Alcorn State and there are various different ways for students to become dancers. The Royal Braves always enjoy shedding light on those who don’t have that boost of confidence they need to truly be themselves. Chenel Martin, a Senior Business major from Las Vegas, Nevada and current President of RBDT, said, “As a person who has been dancing my entire life and wanting to give back to my Historically Black College and University (HBCU), I love to partake in events such as these so that the students on campus know that there is a place for them even though they may think differently.”
During this event, there were different sections that took place. First section was “Individuals”. Individuals are a ripple of going around the room and throwing either an 8 or 16 count routine. Second section was “All Together”. All Together means when one person throws a 8 or 16 count then the rest of the dancers follow doing the routine all together. The last section consisted of a “Girls vs Boys Battle”. Of course, it is typical that there are young men out there who also have a passion for dancing, so the Royal Braves welcomed them and hosted a friendly battle of who could throw the best stands and dance routines.
Kyrasten Drakes, a Freshman English Elementary Education major from Greenville, Mississippi, stated, “Being a part of this dance team not only sheds light on my passion for dancing but it also sheds light on valuing community service and creating a safe space for people who have a hard time believing in themselves.”