Adjunct professor Chip N. Dale has taught all sorts of different dance styles to Trinity students over the years. From country western to ballroom, students who came in convinced that they had two left feet became masters of the dance floor under Dale’s guidance.
Now Dale wants to embrace a new side of dance in an effort to keep up with the changing times. Starting this fall, Dale will offer two new courses, pole dancing and twerking, in addition to his standard ballroom and country western offerings.
“I’ve always taught my students what I like to call “˜before midnight’ dance styles. I want to branch out and let them dabble in a couple of the “˜after midnight’ styles that are so popular in today’s society,” Dale said.
When Dale told his current students about his new courses, they could not wait to sign up.
“I’ve taken all of Chip’s country western and ballroom dance classes. I was getting a little sad this semester knowing I wouldn’t have anything else to take with him after I finished Ballroom II in May,” said junior Gretchen Wieners. “When I heard Chip was going to be teaching pole dancing and twerking in the fall, I thought it was so fetch.”
Because this will mark the first time Dale has taught pole dancing and twerking in a classroom setting, he is bringing in some experts to assist him with instruction.
“I know a friend who knows a friend, and I was able to lock down Miley Cyrus for a week. I can’t think of a better person to teach these students how to twerk. That’s what makes Trinity such a great university. You get to learn from the best of the best in their fields,” Dale said.
In addition to Cyrus, Dale has established a partnership with Hardbodies Ladies Club.
Every month, a different male dancer will attend the class to show off new moves to the students.
In return, male students from the class will be given the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned in class at Hardbodies toward the end of the semester, and female students in the class will be given free admission.
In the event that the male students from the class do not want to perform at Hardbodies, Dale himself will fill in.
“I’m really excited to learn all of these new dance techniques,” said Harry Cox, a sophomore registered for Dale’s twerking class. “I feel like other colleges wouldn’t permit these kinds of classes on their campuses, but that just goes to show how Trinity is really committed to preparing its students to succeed after graduation, in all areas of life.”
