Published: June 17, 2009 09:53 pm      

UCO professor starts first state jazz company

EDMOND — Most dance majors are forced to leave the state or quit dance after they graduate from college because of Oklahoma’s lack of professional dancing opportunities.

Hui Cha-Poos, a dance adjunct professor at the University of Central Oklahoma, recently started Oklahoma’s first professional jazz dance company as a step toward creating a work field in which dancers can make a living. She said she thought with the emergence of dance reality television shows, including “So You Think You Can Dance” and “Dancing with the Stars,” that there would be a large enough audience interested.

“I just want to bring awareness to the fact we have talent here just as good as what is in L.A. or New York,” Cha-Poos said. “Because we certainly have the talent. We just don’t have the outlet. I’d like to be the catalyst for using dancers here.”

The r.a.c.e. Jazz Company, which stands for radical application of creative energy, consists of six dancers and three apprentices. Cha-Poos said she plans to expand the company but wanted to start out small because she didn’t know what to expect. The company, a non-profit organization, has been rehearsing in various locations, including UCO and Range of Motion Dance Studio.

“All nine dancers have been students of mine,” Cha-Poos said. “I wanted to work with people I knew were reliable.”

She said the turnout for the company’s first show, “Circle,” already went above and beyond her expectations with over 600 audience members last weekend.

“One of the things that set us apart from other dance shows is we have mixed arts,” Cha-Poos said.

She said because the company is so small and the dances are so high-energy, a band, singer and rapper performed in intervals throughout the show to give the dancers a chance to catch their breaths and prepare for their next numbers. Cha-Poos said that is something she will continue in future shows.

Jessica Stewart, a former student of Cha-Poos, attended the show and said she thought it was great.

“I think it’s a fantastic thing that Hui is doing to give dancers a place to do dance so they don’t have to leave or quit,” she said. “My favorite part of the show was the hip-hop piece. I feel like (the show’s) message is just throwing off old ideas and bringing in the new.”

Cha-Poos said while the r.a.c.e. dancers train and can perform any dance form, the company is centered on jazz and hip-hop.

“It’s going to be more mainstream, which was what I wanted,” she said. “I want to change the theme of every show. Because it’s mainstream, the music is always changing.”

While she does not know the exact theme of the next show, Cha-Poos said it will be based on the title, “er.a.c.e.,” as well as showcase some of her choreographic influences. Every r.a.c.e. show highlights a variety of choreographers and gives local talent a chance to showcase their work.

“It’s hard to watch the same choreographers work over and over,” Cha-Poos said.

r.a.c.e. dancers include Brian Burt, Tasha Hinex, Kelli Clark, Emily South, James Grigsby and dance captain Kim Loveridge, with apprentices Dillion Honiker, Brandi Gable and Melinda Cantu.

For more information, visit www.racedance.com.