Breakdancers find space in Arts Lounge

By Chris Adams, September 4, 2014 —

B-boys and B-girls rejoice! Breakdancers on campus have secured a space to dance after months of uncertainty.

The Hip Hop Funk Styles (HHFS) club now has use of the Arts Lounge to breakdance. Faculty of Arts Students’ Association (FASA) president Tonie Minhas — whose club operates the Arts Lounge on the second floor or social sciences — arranged for the club to use the space earlier this summer.

HHFS has been looking for a place to dance since Campus Security banned them from dancing in MacHall’s south courtyard in February for liability reasons.

This time around, insurance issues won’t be a problem.

“If anything happens in there it’s not the university’s fault, it’s not FASA’s fault. It’s solely on the person that gets injured,” Minhas said. “Every time they meet up, at least two people from the club will be there to ensure that every single person has signed a waiver.”

Waivers will be kept on file with FASA. HHFS will begin using the space this September.They’re scheduled every second or third Friday night.

HHFS president Jared Herring said he’s happy with the new space, commenting on the improved floor, speakers and consistent booking.

The Arts Lounge has Nora flooring, a rubberized surface much softer than concrete.

But Herring does have a problem with the Arts Lounge’s location.

“The thing that isn’t good about it is that it’s a little out of sight. It kind of takes away that sense of life from the campus because the [south courtyard] was such a central place. That’s the only downside,” Herring said.

FASA asked that whenever they use the space, the breakdancers move furniture aside and put it back when they’re finished.

Minhas received an email from faculty of arts experience coordinator Ginger Rodgers notifying her about the need for a new breakdance space.

Rodgers said putting the breakdancers in the Arts Lounge was an easy decision, adding that the lounge is under-utilized.

“We’ve sort of offloaded most of it to FASA to say, ‘listen, it’s your space. You better get them to sign waivers. You’re kind of accepting responsibility. If they destroy your space, that’s on you’,” Rodgers said.

Last year’s ban from the south courtyard sparked controversy among the breakdance community. HHFS president Jared Herring believed Campus Security made up an excuse to remove the breakdancers from the stage in front of their office.

Campus Security was not consulted on the move to the Arts Lounge, but Rodgers suggests that HHFS should notify them.

“They should probably let Campus Security know that they’re doing it. It’s one of those things where it’s not necessarily officially sanctioned by the faculty of arts,” Rodgers said. “But certainly we want to support [them].”

Herring said the “Arts Lounge sessions” will be open to anyone, as long as they’re willing to join the club and sign a waiver.