Every Monday and Wednesday evening, a group of 18 people comes together in a small classroom in the back of McKenzie Hall on the University of Oregon campus. Some of them are students, and some of them have already graduated, but they unite under a common passion: dance. Duck Street Dance Club is a student-run dance team that performs their own hip hop choreography at various events both on and off campus. The members of the team collaborate with one another to produce unique choreography for their performances.
The team features an array of individuals from a range of different backgrounds in both dance and life. The diversity and collaborative nature of the team give DSDC a distinct edge due to their adaptability and willingness to learn from each other. “I joined Duck Street to do what I love and meet new people along the way,” says co-vice president, Jade Menchaca, a sophomore at UO. Yesenia Hidalgo, also a sophomore and co-vice president for the team says that her favorite part of the team is how everyone’s differences come together cohesively to help the group grow as a whole. “Not only are we a diverse group of people but we also have different styles, and we learned from one another a lot,” says Hidalgo.
President Miguel Pobre echoes Menchaca and Hidalgo’s sentiments. This is his fourth year as part of the team and it has been an important part of his college experience. “I joined Duck Street Dance Club to experience new things in college and branch out from what I’m used to,” says Pobre. “What I like most about Duck Street Dance Club is interacting with people from different cultures, backgrounds, and dance styles and integrating these aspects into my own life whether it’s through dance or in my everyday life.” Pobre is a senior in the UO School of Journalism and is preparing to graduate at the end of spring term.
The group performs with other studios in Eugene, most recently at shows hosted by Work Dance Company and Dance Northwest. DSDC hosts their own showcase annually, and this year’s performance will take place on Saturday, June 3rd in Global Scholars Hall at 6 pm. They also host free dance workshops on campus that are open to anyone. Duck Street Dance Club posts information for upcoming performances, workshops, and try-outs, as well as photos and video footage on their Facebook page.