GENERAL INFORMATION
What is PSIDE?
The Penn State International
Dance Ensemble is a student-run performance group based
in State College, PA which celebrates the diverse cultures of the world
through song and dance. Founded in 1977 by Elizabeth Hanley, Associate
Professor of Kinesiology, the group has expanded both its membership and
its repertoire over the last twenty years, currently including some thirty-eight
select members and material from most corners of the globe. Now in its
twenty-fifth year, PSIDE is entirely under student leadership and an official
Penn State performance group.
Cultures we've represented
include (but are not limited to) West Africa, Greece, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Croatia,
Slovenia, Serbia, Spain, Estonia, Egypt, Scotland, Azerbaijan, China, Israel,
India, the Philippine Islands, Germany, the Ukraine, Poland, Ireland, France,
Russia, Hungary, Tahiti, Slovakia, and, of course, the USA.
How does membership work?
PSIDE opens itself to
new students every semester; the audition process consists of three levels.
IP. The first stage
of the process is called IP (Interested Person) status; you can become
an IP simply by showing interest in the group. You then get to play along
with us for a while before the mini-auditions -- whether you know it or
not -- for the next level. The audition itself is really more of a verification
that you have a sense of the fundamentals of the art form you're emphasizing:
rhythm and movement. IP auditions for dancers are usually done with a line
dance or two, probably Greek. A successful audition will upgrade you to
Apprentice.
Apprentice. Now the
real work begins: you shadow Members during rehearsals to learn parts of
the group's repertoire, and, more importantly, you attend regular Sunday
rehearsals with our Sunday Teachers to learn the two dances in particular
on which you will be auditioned for Membership. The Membership audition
consists of a performance of those dances, without costume, before the
whole of the Ensemble; after the audition, the voting members of the group
decide to whom to extend Membership. After that, you're in! Welcome. :)
If one of the auditions
doesn't work out for you, then you're welcome to try again the following
semester, beginning once again as an IP.
This is just an outline
of the process. For greater detail, consult
the PSIDE Constitution (being updated
soon).
What kind of time commitment
does this involve?
Those interested in joining
PSIDE must be able to attend regular Tuesday/Thursday evening rehearsals,
as well as some Sunday rehearsals during the audition process; performances
and Saturday workshops are also mandatory. Learning the material for Member
auditions usually takes four to six weeks, but the auditions themselves
are held at the Directors' convenience. The time commitment varies considerably
according to performance schedules, but you can count at least on the Tuesday/Thursday
rehearsals every week.
What's the first step?
Show up and tell us you're
interested. See PSIDE's Calendar of Events for
meeting times. We welcome new faces, so stop by! Or...
send us an e-mail: PSIDE@hotmail.com
Copyright (c) 2002 by
the Penn State International Dance Ensemble