Sanders

Lindsay Sanders
UWRT 1101
Prof. Malcolm Campbell
November 5, 2014
The Life of a Dancer, Channel SE7EN Style
For my mini-ethnography, I decided to observe the Channel SE7EN Dance Troupe that I
am involved with here at UNC-Charlotte. Since I am a member of this troupe I automatically
was in at the practices and always hear the slang we as dancers use. When I first decided to
observe my dance troupe I found it kind of difficult to translate some of the slang used because I
use it too. There was nothing that was said that really stood out to me but there were enough
different things that Channel SE7EN does that I could compare it to what Im used to. In this
paper I will refer to the group as C7 rather than Channel SE7EN occasionally because we do a
lot of hand gestures to signify who we are. The reasoning behind this ethnography is to see how
the dance community acts as a separate culture from the everyday lives that non-dancers are used
to.
The Channel SE7EN Dance Troupe got its name having three different meanings: 7
Continents (diversity), Sabbath day (completion), and then the news channel. Originally the
name for this dance troupe was Code Red. It had to be changed due to the fact that Code Red is a
Delta program and we are not affiliated with the Deltas. As of right now, the team is majority
black women. I am the only white girl and there are four guys that dance with us. C7 mainly
focuses on the contemporary/hip-hop style of dance. According to the Concordia University
Contemporary Dance Program, contemporary dance originated from jazz, classical, and modern
styles of dance. Now, when one performs a contemporary piece, it is more closely related to

Lindsay Sanders 12/1/2014 7:37 PM

Deleted: Omega Psi Phi is C7s supporting
fraternity.

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modern, classical, and ballet. I see contemporary dance as the in-between for all types of dance.
Its the category you place a piece into when it covers multiple styles of dance. Also, according
to The History of Hip Hop Dance, hip-hop was created along with the culture of hip-hop music.
Hip-hop dance includes a wide range of styles of breaking, locking, and popping your body in
intricate ways. By breaking, locking, and popping, I mean moving your body with sharp and
precise movements that can come across as choppy but made fluid with body rolls incorporated
into the choreography.
When we are in practice, we have to be very serious and focused so we can get done what
we need to such as finishing choreography for a piece or just fixing what we already have. While
at practice, we are being judged for the most part and practices get to where they are treated like
an audition all over again. We have to work as hard as we can and do the best we can when we
review material with the choreographer. One thing I noticed is that when we are practicing, the
choreographers get very nit-picky and critique the smallest of details. This becomes very
frustrating for us when we arent quite sure how to correct our mistakes sometimes, which then
creates stress and tension in the air for everyone. Rolling eyes, upset faces, and just straight
attitude is how some of us express our stress so that maybe the advisors will see that we need a
break. Most of the time we just end up showing our anger in our dancing, which can be a good
thing, and then we walk off of the dance floor aggravated, tired, and wanting to leave. Not every
practice is the same but they can become repetitive sometimes when reviewing the same material
over and over again for a couple of months.
Over the years, the troupe has done nothing but grow in talent and we have gotten to the
point where we are going to expand our horizons, making a competition team, and traveling
outside of Charlotte. After talking to the members that were previously initiated, I learned that

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C7 started September 7, 2012, but wasnt officially founded until November 7, 2012. This is the
date that all new members are initiated on and each initiation is a little different every year. The
only thing that I am aware of that stays the same is the time. The new members have to meet the
previously initiated members at 3 a.m. annually on November 7. After each initiation, each group
of new members gets a name for their line. The first line to be initiated on November 7, 2012
was called Black Mob. The second line that was initiated on November 7, 2013 was called Black
Diamond. After this weekend the third line, my line, will be announced. This makes me nervous
and excited!
C7 meets in Rowe 206 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7-9 and on Sundays from 7-9
usually in Rowe 206 but will sometimes be changed to Robinson 118. Since we are not the only
dance group on campus, it gets hard trying to find places to practice when we have practice on
the same night. This used to not be a problem until last semester when the new dance group,
ROM (Range of Motion), was founded. Anyways, these are the main two rooms that are open
after class hours that those of us involved in the dance department are allowed to use. We have
also practiced in the Student Union due to both rooms being used at the same time we needed
them, which was not a problem since we recently performed there. As dancers we have to be
very flexible with what we do and how we do it. The practice calendar has gotten messed up in
the dance department due to no one in charge of it hold a spot for one group. We will get to
practice and someone will be in the room or come in and say that they were allowed to use it
during our same practice time. This is when we say okay and either move rooms or end practice
early.
During my observations in practice, I have noted that the main advisor is just as stressed,
if not more, than the dancers when it comes time to perform. His attitudes, choice of words, and

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actions seem to go in a polar opposite than how he is when he isnt stressed. When relaxed, my
advisor that will go as the name of Chris is happy, gives back constructive criticism, and is fun to
be around. When Chris is stressed, however, he seems to become shady, quiet, and very strict
with us, yelling and putting us down instead of talking to us professionally and helping us to get
back up while fixing our mistakes. Its frustrating to already realize as a new member of C7 that
Chris is so up and down like this. The other day he said, You have to dance like you want a
job. This was frustrating because I dont want to pursue a career in dance and Im not the only
one on the troupe that isnt majoring in dance. I am dancing to have fun and do what I know best.
It hasnt been fun lately but hopefully things will be fun again next season.
One of my other advisors, who will be called Devin, has made it obvious that he is there
to have fun as well as to help dancers that love what they do grow to become better in what they
love. Devin is always pretty relaxed but can become very serious at times. He is always giving
constructive criticism but can also be very hard on us. He sees when were frustrated with the
piece and can help bring us back up and remind us that dance is supposed to be fun and that we
shouldnt be stressing too much over little things that Chris has us stressing about. There are
ways that you talk to people that are dancing for you and there are ways that you dont talk to
those who are dancing for you and I feel that Devin portrays that in a much more mature way
than Chris does. I would have to say I favor Devin over Chris and most of the other girls that I
dance with feel the same way.
Practice normally starts with everyone warming up, getting our bodies ready for vigorous
movement. We stretch and warm up so that we dont pull muscles or become really injured. We
all wear comfortable clothes that fit us correctly and that we can move in. You cant really dance
in clothes that are stiff and hard to move in. After we stretch we run through the piece that we are

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working on several times just to get our minds in the right place. By this I mean really getting
into the music and removing all outside thoughts so that we can work on the piece. Then we run
through the piece three or four times full out. This means that we dance as hard as we can while
using our attitudes and faces that go along with it. Dancers dont just dance with our arms and
legs but our entire body from head to toe. After we are critiqued, judged, and fussed at, we all
come together in a somewhat loving way, holding hands in a circle. While we are standing here
we reflect on practice, go over what needs to happen at the next practice, and say our chant. Then
we all go home. This part is really hard because we have to be civil and know that things will get
better.
Noticing the slang that dancers and those of us in C7 use is hard to pick up sometimes.
Its also difficult trying to explain what we mean to a non-dancer when trying to explain what
were doing. There are days when we use little metaphors to help us get a mental feel for what
our bodies are supposed to come across as. For example, Devin used booty is a bell, to explain
to us that we need to move our hips in a bell-like fashion, as well as chicken wing, so we
would push our elbows out to mimic a chicken wing look. To perform at our highest potential,
Chris says that we need to slay, go off, and make the audience feel our energy. We also
say guns up, which if what we say when we all come together right before we say our chant.
Its a way to get everyones attention so we can end practice.
Dance as a culture is another form of art that isnt as crazy as theatre or any of the other
visual/performing arts can be. Dancers are probably some of the most normal people out there
considering their artistic vibes. Channel SE7EN Dance Troupe isnt just something to do in your
free time. It is a commitment and a culture as well as a family. After a while, you would see that
we fight like family but still feel welcome and come back no matter how bad the last practice

Lindsay Sanders 12/1/2014 7:57 PM

Deleted: W

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was. Everyone on Channel SE7EN is very accepting of all people but if you cant dance, you
wont make the cut. Being a new member, I am excited to see where C7 takes me and what it can
bring into my life. This is a new dance environment for me and its taken a while to adjust but as
the days go by, it becomes clearer that I made the right choice to be on this dance troupe. These
are my people, my family, and I fit into this culture. The diversity is present in all of us based on
where we all came from and who we are. But when we meet dance brings us together in unison.