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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.

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! Also you can write us an e-mail!