Dakin Dance Studio's New Floors
Pictured: Genevieve Feeney, Cassie Libby, Conner Malone, Kaylie Thomas, and other members of the UMF Dance Team.. Photo taken by author.
September 21, 2023
Lucky Mourredes, Contributing Writer
With the fall semester in full swing, the University of Maine Farmington (UMF) Dance Team is eager to utilize their refurbished dance studio in Dakin Hall to practice exciting new choreography for the upcoming basketball season.
For over a decade, the UMF Dance Team has been tearing up the dance studio with their countless hours of practice. After a summer of successful reconstruction, the dance studio is decked out with new floors. With the basketball season a few months away, the Dance Team will quickly put these floors to the test while practicing new choreography. The planning efforts of the Dance Team’s executive board and the funding approved by the Student Senate will support the performances of future generations of the club. “This place allows us to express ourselves through dance, foster creativity through choreography, gather, and bond as a team,” said Hadley Estes, the UMF Dance Team’s vice president.
An important question presents itself when referencing the dance studio’s transition from its old floors to the new floors: how have they changed? Other than a major aesthetic change, Estes states, “They are made up of a layer of foam, a layer of wood, and a layer of anti-slip marley flooring. It’s gentle on your joints, and it can prevent sports injuries.” With these new features, the dance studio’s floors will serve its users' health as a priority for years to come.
With the old floors providing over 10 years of support for its users, it is clear a change was needed. The implementation of new floors was not only accomplished through the hard work and dedication of Estes and her colleagues on the team but also with the help of facilities management. This achievement will certainly improve the quality of practices for the UMF Dance Team by contributing towards the well-being of the dancers on the team.
