High school and college students participate in Rhythm Inc. dance crew

Dance is obviously a good way to exercise. But to those who dance on a daily basis it is considered a lifestyle.

    Some students with a passion for dance were introduced to Rhythm Inc., a group that is a mixture of college and high school students through the University of Pacific. Senior Vinnie Phakeovilay describes Rhythm Inc. as a “hip-hop dance team and family to me.”
    Phakeovilay found this team through a dance member last year when she told him about auditions. So he decided to take his dancing skills and audition for the team. “Everyone always tells me I have potential to be a better dancer, but I never took them seriously so I decided to test myself,” he said.
    Senior Brea Greene also found Rhythm Inc. through school. “I found Rhythm Inc. through Dance 1-2 at our showcase and it was just something that came natural to me so I decided to audition,” she said.

Students practice on weekdays for about four hours, however, on weekends they practice for about seven to nine hours.  So balancing school and dance may become hard to manage. “Sometimes it gets hard balancing (school and dance) but I don’t ever not do my homework,” Greene said. It gets especially difficult for Phakeovilay because he has to balance school, dance, and a job. “It’s all right and can be hectic, but I try to organize it as best as possible,” he said.

Working with college students allows the dancers to receive extra help with their course work. “College students help us with our homework and we sometimes have study groups,” Greene said.

    With the challenge of balancing school and dance they also have a demanding physical focus. “If we have a stronger core it makes you a better dancer,” Phakeovilay said. Their difficult workouts consist of constant running, leg lifts, and pushups. “We race to see how bad we want to be a team,” junior Efemeh Files said.

All the hard work they put forth during practice prepares them for the many events they will be a part of. The main event that they are currently preparing for is the Prelude Nor Cal dance competition. This event takes place Nov. 19 in Hayward. The dance competition showcases the best dance groups in northern California. Because this event is rapidly approaching they are taking every chance they get to be the best.

    “Hell Month” sets them apart as a dance group. “We go over the set multiple times until it’s perfect,” Phakeovilay said. They practice one set of six songs, meaning that they are constantly active and have to perform their steps as accurate as possible.

Dancing incorporates many movements that need to be tight and smooth. Because they consider themselves a family they are able to motivate each other to be better dancers. Their intimate relationship helped them grow from a group of 13 to a family of 38. “As a family we help each other,” Phakeovilay said. Rhythm Inc. shows how successful their group has become and how they will continue to grow. “In numbers, experience, and in all kinds of ways.”