As the number of students able to participate in Tufts Dance Collective (TDC) continues to dwindle, it is becoming clear that a policy change is needed if the organization genuinely hopes to stay true to - or, rather, return to - its original vision as an all-inclusive dance group.
Space constraints and safety concerns have forced TDC to scale its performances down over the past few years. This semester TDC has opted to reduce its number of dances from approximately 22 to 18 and the number of dancers in each piece from 32 to 30 or 28.
TDC dancers are currently allowed to participate in a maximum of two dances. With added space restrictions in mind, TDC's original intent to get as many people to shed their inhibitions on stage as possible would be better served by cutting this maximum dance amount down to one dance per person.
The past few years have seen a staggering increase in the number of students interested in joining TDC, and for good reason. It's easy to understand TDC's appeal - it offers a creative outlet and the opportunity to perform to any dancer, regardless of previous experience or skill level. A dance group that welcomes prima ballerinas and klutzes alike allows participants to overlook dance's competitive aspects and enjoy dancing for dancing's sake.
The Daily believes as many people should be involved in TDC as possible. Therefore, as the scale of the show's production continues to shrink, we think it's time for the group to enact a policy change that allows the largest possible group of Tufts community members to be in the show.
Beginning in 2009, TDC has been forced to abandon part of its original vision by turning hopeful students away each semester. More recently came a shift in TDC's policy during the 2010-2011 academic year, when TDC reduced the number of maximum dances a student could participate in from three to two. Two years later, TDC continues to turn students away, yet the number of maximum dances TDC members can participate in remains the same as it was in 2011.
Allowing each TDC participant to partake in one piece would allow several more dancers to enter the fray.
Perhaps reducing the maximum number of dances per person wouldn't solve the group's problems altogether - statistically, it's likely TDC would still be turning students away - but it would bring the group a step closer to its founding principles of inclusivity.
