​Committee 22/23

Emma
 President

Sup besties, I’m Emma and I'll be president of dance society this year! I’m heading into my third year at UCL, which will also be my third year on the dance soc committee, and i’m jazzed to see what this year brings.

As a former theatre kid, I started dancing through musical theatre when I was 14. Since coming to uni, dance has consumed my life. I mainly dabble in tap, jazz, and street, most of which I hadn’t properly done before joining UCL, but am hoping to branch a little more into contemp this year. When I’m not dancing (which tbh doesn’t happen often), I’ll often be wandering around the student centre, starbucks in hand, trying to find a seat or sitting in the hallways of the IOE stress writing an essay before a rehearsal.
From being in shows to taking weekly classes and being on the committee, dance society has been such an important part of my uni experience. I couldn’t imagine my time at UCL without it.

Can’t wait to see everyone in September, if you have any questions or wanna chat before then gimme a shout @emmabosson <33

Sophie
Treasurer

Wooo hey guys!! I’m Sophie and I’m super excited to be this year’s treasurer! 💸 For any dance soc 👶🏼, I’m also producing the Freshers’ Show in November so keep an eye out for more info soon!

A bit about me, I’m from Manchester 🐝, going into my final year of Arts and Sciences 🤧, and hobbies include dance (duh), music, reading, and telling my friends I can’t make plans because “I have dance” 😬

Since coming to UCL, dance soc has been a huge part of my uni life and I wouldn’t have it any other way! You can take part in all the amazing classes and shows but also meet loads of really 🆒 people and hang out with them non-stop 😌 If you’re thinking of joining, do it!!!

So excited to see you all soon 🥳 (can you tell?) And my dms are always open if you have any qs about dance soc or if you just wanna chat in general 🥰🥰@sophiexutang

Isobel
​Vice President

Hi! I’m Isobel :) I’m a 3rd Year Law Student, and Vice President for this year!

I’ve been dancing for hours and hours a week since I was 2½, so before I even started at UCL I knew this society would be the place for me. It has not disappointed at all ;)

After being online for my first year of Dance Soc in 2020, I went hard last year – going to as many classes as I could; dancing and choreographing in shows; and taking part in the competition team. Being Vice President means I will definitely be doing the same thing again this year!

I am producing the 24 Hour Show in October. It’s a great chilled, low-commitment introduction to Dance Soc to begin the term – I hope to see as many people signing up as possible! It will be a very fun time in aid of charity. What more could you want?

I am also responsible for organising Costume Cupboard, so you’ll be talking to me if you choreograph a dance (or need to return a costume from 6 years ago).
Please come and say hello if you see me, and make sure to reach out if you have any questions! I’ll be the one with the digital camera :D Dance Soc is full of wonderful people; I am more than ready to begin what I know will be another fantastic year ˂3

Shyn
Resident Choreographer 

Hey everyone! I’m Shyn, a second year Psychology and Language Sciences student, and I’ll be your resident choreographer for the upcoming year! I’m super excited to be dancing with everyone once again, as well as working on all things choreography ~ I’ll be around helping out with events, show finales, full casts and supporting choreographers when needed so I’m definitely looking forward to meeting familiar and new faces around dance soc this year :’)

I started dancing at 5 with good ol’ ballet classes before moving on to contemporary, street and hip hop. I’ve dabbled in a tiny little bit of breaking as well though street and hip hop are generally my favourite styles (still love a good contemp class once in a while though!!). I love choreographing with all my heart and I believe one’s style of choreography is moulded by their personal dance journey and an accumulation of their unique experiences, just as it is for me! That makes me extremely grateful and excited to be creating choreographies and supporting choreographers in developing that for themselves ~ I hope to create an open, supportive and positive environment for choreographers and dancers to confidently express themselves in and I’d just like for everyone to have lots of fun at the end of the day! See y'all soon :”

Emma
Scheduling Officer

Hi! I’m Emma and I’m so excited to be your scheduling officer this year🥰

I’m going into my second year studying Cancer Biomedicine and absolutely loved going to classes, doing shows, and competing throughout my first year in dance soc! My fav style is tap and I’ve been doing that since I was around 5, but I also love jazz, contemporary, and latin!

Outside of dance and my degree (but mostly just dance at this point lol), I enjoy figure skating, playing guitar, photography, musicals, and cooking :)

I can’t wait to get started with this year, to organize the best rehearsal spaces for you guys, to meet so many more amazing friends, and to help produce the 24 hour show🤩

If you have any questions about dance soc or UCL in general please feel free to message me or chat to me in classes!! See you next year! <3

Gemma
Transcendance Producer

Hey everyone :)
I am the TranscenDance Producer this year! My name is Gemma and I’m in my second year studying medicine. I was Fresher’s rep last year and loved it so much that I am now in my second year being part of dance soc’s committee!
Fyi, TranscenDance is UCL Dance Society’s very own annual inter-university dance competition with around 300-400 dancers from 13 universities and 400 spectators! It will be held on December 10th this year so MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

I’ve been dancing since I was a little kid and lately I’ve been trying different styles from contemp to break, street and hip hop :) I cannot wait to see y’all within Dance Soc whether that is in classes, shows, socials or at TranscenDance!!! (As a dancer OR spectator :)))

You’ll probably find me at a lot of the dance classes but if not, I’ll probably be getting boba from gongcha or hiding in cruci and ioe.

Have a great rest of the Summer, hope to see you all in less than a month:)

Feel free to drop me a message anytime:)
AND FOLLOW TD’s INSTA! @transcendance.ucl to know more about the competition :)

Tiffene
​Publicity & Design Officer

Hi everyone!
I’m Tiffene, a second-year biology student, and your publicity & design officer this year! Last year, I learnt the ins and outs of dance society as the freshers rep, and I just knew that I wanted to be part of such a great society again.

I started both art and dance at 3 years old, so being the publicity and design officer to dance society seemed like the perfect fit. Growing up I was mainly trained in ballet and eventually exploring contemporary. However, over the last few years I have also dipped my toe into hip hop and jazz (though I’m still trying to get rid of that awkward ballet elegance in a hip hop/jazz dance so pls lmk if you have tips for that).

This year I’ll be in charge of all the posts on social media, merch designs, and any other promotional visuals. I’m also helping out in the production of Triple Bill, as well as helping in the costume cupboard to keep that place contained!

If you have any questions or just want a little chat, feel free to dm @tiffene.larose or email me, I’m here to help :) And feel free to come over for a chat if you find me procrastinating in the science library or wandering around campus in my usual dance merch. I can’t wait to meet all the new members to dance Society and seeing all the returnees again!!

Chloe Ip
Freshers' Representative

Hi this is Chloe! I started my dance portfolio with K-pop dance lessons since Grade 7 as extra-curricular activities and now have jazz-funk, street dance and heels added. Dancing to me is not only a hobby, it is a momentum, an attitude, a commitment that derived from it, and all of that being applicable to every life spectrum. I joined a public showcase performance earlier in HK, apart from the amazing performances from dancers, I saw the success of the showcase attributed much also to the dedication of staff in organising the event from a zero position until show date and similarly the 24H Show I joined last month. I decided to devote myself to dance more not even on stage but also from backstage – cohering dance loving freshers especially, letting many others to recognise the joy, fun, relaxation and friendship the dance family offers. I am a good team player which is demonstrated in my experience as a volunteer worker in an NGO as well as other societies I joined in high school involving lots of meetings and communication. I gained valuable experience from different roles, as a researcher supporting other team members, chief graphic designer for student union newsletter publication to being the chairlady of my high school maths team which, in addition to being both a choreographer and a dancer, makes me feel competent in fulfilling my responsibilities in the Dance Society. It would be my pleasure to be your freshers representative!

Amelie
Welfare & Volunteering Officer

Hi everyone- I’m Amelie and I am so thrilled to be dance society’s welfare and volunteering officer for the next year. I am going into my second year of studying English at UCL and I am massive bookworm… but I am also a bookworm that loves dancing!

Last year my favourite thing about UCL was joining dance society. I got to dance ballet in the annual Blooms show but also revived my love for latin dancing and choreographed and ran workshops in Samba!

Sharing my love for Latin dancing with all the talented dancers in this society was absolutely amazing! What was even more incredible was getting to know other members and feeling so welcomed by such an amazing group of people. Not only is this society full of insane dancers but also some of the most warm hearted and fun loving people that I have ever met.

It is going to be such a pleasure to look- after and support you guys through the upcoming year… as well as to provide you with some well-earned cake after all of your dance efforts. It is also going to be amazing to run the volunteering programme with you guys too- I hope you are all as excited as I am!

If you need anything I’m always here… my dm’s are always open so just slide in 😉 See you soon- Amelie xxx

Izzy Passey​
Freshers' Representative

Hi my name's Izzy
I’d love to become a Freshers’ Representative to get more involved with the committee and share the joy of dance with everyone! I’m comfortable working in teams and happy to help out any way I can. I’m also very passionate about dance. I studied at a full-time ballet school and now enjoy dancing for fun to take my mind off uni work! I’ll be dancing at the Freshers show and Transcendance.
I think I’d be a good fit for the role because I have experience of working in my previous dance school, organising classes as well as teaching workshops (for children and adults.) I also used to perform for school children with the charity Kids Love Lambeth which included dance shows followed by a Q&A section for the audience to encourage them to try dancing themselves. 
I’ve really enjoyed the dance society so far and I especially like that people are so supportive of one another. I think this inclusive environment is really important. As a representative, I’d like to encourage people to give dance a try even if they’re new to the dance world. 
Thank you!

Selina
​Tech Officer

Hi everyone :D I’m Selina and I'm a second year BSc Geography student. I'm really excited to be Dance Soc’s tech officer this year!

I started dancing ballet when I was around 6, and I've fallen more and more in love with ballet over the years. However, because of Covid and my public exams, I had to stop dancing for 2 years :( Coming to UCL last year, I took the opportunity to join Dance Soc’s Freshers and Bloomsbury Show, which reignited my passion for ballet and I’m now all the more eager to continue dancing! This year, I'll still be focusing on ballet but I might try out contemporary and other dance styles too.

Apart from ballet, I’m also really passionate about media production, so I'm actually super glad to be Dance Soc’s Tech Officer this year :D As your tech officer, I'm mainly responsible for filming all dance shows and competitions, then uploading the videos to YouTube for everyone to see. I'm also responsible for maintaining the Dance Soc website, as well as editing promotional videos and other tech-related stuff.

I look forward to seeing you all around soon!!

Amelia
Social Secretary

Hey guys! I’m Amelia, a second year Law with French Law student, and I will be your social secretary this year! This means that I’ll be the person organising Dance Soc’s events and activities, so we can spend time together beyond rehearsals and classes. If you’re a fresher, you’ll be seeing me a lot during the first few months of term, as I’m also co-producing the Freshers Show and I can’t wait to meet all of our new dancers!

My favourite dance style, that I’ve stuck with longest, has been tap, which I started when I was 4. I quickly discovered ballet was not for me, but continued with modern until joining UCL (I hope there are some ISTD girlies here who can relate). At UCL, I threw myself into performing in as many shows as possible- taking part in a many a tap dance, as well as some jazz and contemporary pieces. This year I’m hoping to branch out to more styles by going to as many classes as my (already packed) schedule allows- so I’ll hopefully have to the chance to meet you guys, no matter what style you specialise in!

Some of my favourite first year memories were with people from dance soc and I loved the socials, so I’m here to make sure that everyone gets the same chance to make great friends at great events as I did! Our big socials are often linked to shows or competition days, but keep your eye out throughout the year for our more low-key events too.

Finally, I just wanted to say that I’m always up for some extra socialising- so if you have any worries about balancing an intense degree with dance, or if you have any ideas for socials feel free to send me a message @amelia.czapska <33

Marie
Comps Coordinator

Helloo everyone, I’m Marie a 3rd year Natural sciences student, and I’m super excited to be your comps coordinator for next year! That means I’ll be in charge of organising everything comps related from choreo bids to auditions, to full casts and planning what competitions we attend.
I was on the comps team both in my first and second year of uni and honestly some of my best memories from dance soc have come from sharing the stage with other amazing dancers while representing our wonderful uni and society at competitions!

You’ll find me mainly dancing and choreographing in contemp but I also regularly take part in other styles such as jazz, hiphop and street!
UCL has done amazingly well in the last few years in comps so I hope to keep our standards as high as ever in this upcoming year!

That’s why I hope to see as many of you as possible taking part in the comps team either as dancers or choreographers and do not hesitate to get in contact with me if you have any questions about comps or the society as a whole!

Alkistis
​Bloomsbury Producer

Heya! I’m Alkistis, a 3rd year PhD student in Psychology & Cognitive Neuroscience and also this year’s Blooms Producer! I started dancing ballet when I was 4 and picked up some other styles along the way.

Over the past few years UCL DanceSoc has brought so many moments I still cherish, and I thought that the best way to end this chapter would be by producing our annual show. The entire Prod Team has been working a lot over the summer and I can’t wait to see it all come together over the next few months!

If I’m not in a lab, or traveling, I’m usually found on campus so do say hi if you see me & ask me questions about blooms or anything really :) I’m so excited for another year of dance w DanceSoc, seeing familiar faces again & meeting new ones!

p.s. make sure to follow @ucldanceblooms to stay updated w all-stuff-blooms :))

Megan
Liaison Officer

Hello lovely people! I’m Meg, a third year Psychology and Language Sciences student, and I'll be your Liaison Officer this year!

I’m pretty sure my parents put me in dance classes the day I first learnt to walk – and I’ve not stopped since! Over the years, I’ve tried out everything from ballet to street (I’m bad at both) but nowadays you will mostly find me doing tap. I’ve been lucky enough to tap in nearly every dance soc show last year, our competition team, and I even had a go at choreographing. I’m on a mission to branch out this year though, so who knows...maybe I’ll see you at hip hop...👀

Outside of dance, you’ll either find me in a theatre watching a musical or at home crocheting with a glass of wine. I’m always looking for new friends with a passion for musicals or crocheted animals so hit me up if that sounds like you. 😊

As Liaison Officer, I will be responsible for the weekly dance classes and workshops throughout the year. Classes are such a great way to meet new people and try out a range of styles, whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned pro! I remember how daunting it was going to my first dance soc class, but I promise that it’s a relaxed, friendly environment and you’ll have an amazing time! I hope to see many old and new faces there!

If you see me around campus, feel free to say hi (I’m probably pretending to work anyway). If you have any questions about dance soc or just fancy a chat, drop me a dm @meg.clark15 🖤

Can’t wait to meet you all, Meg x

Sarah 
Communications Officer

Hi everyone! I’m Sarah, a second year Geog student, and I’m your communications officer for dance soc this year. I’m in charge of all things (you guessed it) communicating! From the emails, insta, Facebook etc. to curating the dance soc weekly mailer (which you should all definitely subscribe to ;)).

I’ve been doing ballet since I could walk and feel more comfortable in a pair of pointe shoes than a pair of heels. While I’ve certainly had a go at other styles over the years, it’s fair to say that ballet is confidently my forte (although I keep joking about trying out for the hip hop teams so you never know, I could surprise you haha). I was fortunate enough to be able to take part in so much of dance soc in my first year, even plucking up the courage to choreograph for blooms so believe me when I say, everyone is super encouraging and welcoming here! Some people may know me for trying to fit in fouettés at every chance I can across campus or transforming into a scary Russian ballet teacher every now and again when I really ought to be focusing on my degree haha.

Outside of dance I’m a massive bookworm, take 2 months to get through a single episode of any K-drama, will venture across any distance in London for bubble tea, and if there’s a party involving alcohol somewhere, you can bet I’ll be first to arrive ;)

As communications officer this year, I’ll make sure you all keep up to date with all of the hectic jam-packed events, shows and schedules that will be going on this year at dance soc. There’s a lot that will be going on so make sure you stay in the loop by following our insta/fb pages and sign up for the weekly mailer (I promise to provide memes). If you have any questions or queries about dance soc, please feel free to drop me a message or an email on our dance soc contacts :)