Volume CXXXIII, Number 9 November 9, 2001 f

Street funk workshop pumps up Bowdoin dancers
BRIAN DUNN
STAFF WRITER

If you heard the music pounding through the walls of Sargent Gym this past Sunday then you got a taste of the Street Funk Dance Workshop put on by Melissa Cloutier of the Rhythm Factor in Portland. Students from all ability levels gathered this past weekend to participate in an intense and upbeat style of dance that grooved to the modern sounds of both funk and hip-hop.

The beginner class, which was attended by over 20 students, featured many surprisingly complex dance moves that were seemingly taken right from Ricky Martin's last music video. Starting off the first hour, the dancers moved to the edgy sounds of funk and dance while the second part of the workshop consisted primarily of hip-hop beats.

The advanced class, which had about as many students as the previous one, featured many more complicated steps, which allowed for more variety and creativity on the part of the instructor. Emily Cochrane, a first year who attended both classes on Sunday, said "it was a lot of fun, and I know I'd do it again given the opportunity."

The highlight of the evening was most definitely Cloutier and her stunning array of dance moves. Cloutier, who was brought to Bowdoin by Sara Abbott '02 of Vague, a dance group on campus, has been dancing her entire life.

"The great thing about dancing is that there's no wrong way about it. There's no set equation. You do what feels right." Apparently what Cloutier has been doing throughout her life in dance has seemed right to many people, as she has taken classes from the choreographers of N'sync, Britney Spears, and other pop and hip-hop artists.

The classes on this past Sunday were a great experience for many Bowdoin students. The more modern and pop-influenced grooves that Cloutier taught offered a chance for people of all skill levels to experience the next wave of modern dance music taught by one of Maine's finest.