New dance club in the works

UTRGV students can learn salsa, bachata and more with a new dance club, BLatin, which is expected to come to fruition by the end of October.

The idea first came up between Blake Mitchell, president and creator, and Magaly Romero, dance trainer for BLatin.

The initiative was attempted before but did not last due to COVID-19 regulations and no in-person meetings, according to Mitchell.

Asked what motivated him to begin the process of starting up a new club, Mitchell replied that BLatin is not just about dance but also introducing people to a healthy, productive social environment.

“I want to provide a community to people and as well as give back to the community that I am a part of and I’ve grown to love,” he said.

Around 12 to 15 consistent members are anticipated to join BLatin the first semester after the club is official. Mitchell is hoping to grow the club from 50 to 100 students.

Facial coverings are recommended for those who are not vaccinated.

Mitchell, an environmental science senior, hopes that BLatin will grow into an established organization at UTRGV that takes part in flash mobs, choreographies and performance showcases. He also hopes for BLatin to host its own balls and dances in the future.

Outside of UTRGV, BLatin will be working with Revival of Cultural Arts Scholars, a nonprofit organization.

“They have always given back to their community and they specify in low-income, low-opportunity families to provide them a fine arts outlet,” Mitchell said. “So, we want to give back to them and do a couple events to raise as much money for them as possible.”

Practices will take place  at 7:30 p.m. every Monday in La Sala on the Brownsville campus. New students will be required to pay $40 dues per semester.

To join the club, students do not need any prior dance experience.

“You would simply need to be open to new experiences,” Mitchell said. “And as long as you keep an open mind, that’s the only thing you need to be a part of it.”

Once the club is official, there will be monthly meetings in Edinburg. Edinburg members will be required to attend a Brownsville practice once a month.

“It’s honestly a really good life skill to have in general,” he said. “Not necessarily being a good dancer, but the experiences and the mentality that dance can give you, especially from a social aspect and a professional aspect, can affect the way that you see life forever.”

Any UTRGV student who has a certain interest or passion can create a club, said April Munoz Gonzalez, program coordinator for the Center for Student Involvement.

One requirement to create a club is that the group has to have at

least five currently enrolled students who are expressing interest for the specific group, Munoz Gonzalez said.

After it has at least five students, the group will submit the form of “Request for temporary permission to organize.” This initiates the process, Munoz Gonzalez said.

 This form notifies the Student Involvement office that the student wants to start a group and what it is based on. This form can be found in the Center for Student Involvement V Link page.

Once they have at least five students and have submitted the form they will need to identify an adviser. The adviser must be a full-time faculty or staff member, employed with UTRGV and not an undergraduate student. The adviser does not need to be related or in a work-related position to the club or group. It can be anyone, Munoz Gonzalez said.

“We check that there is not already an existing organization with that name or with that purpose. We verify the student’s enrollment as well as the adviser’s association or affiliation to the university, and then from there we would move on that submission to our Center for Student Involvement director,” she said. “Our director at that time will review and then pretty much sign off on a form of approval saying, ‘Yes let’s go ahead and allow this group to get started on campus.’”

Once cleared by the Center for Student Involvement the club must then create a constitution, set up a bank account, complete a state-mandated risk management training, and attend a reservations training.

“The duration of the process is really ultimately up to the student and their response rate,” Munoz Gonzalez said. “Usually, we tell them on average it will take them about two weeks to complete everything.”

Starting a club or organization at UTRGV is free of charge, she said. 

When asked what advice she would give to students who might want to start their own organization, Munoz Gonzalez said, “Not to hold back. A lot of times we see there is some hesitation with students because they don’t necessarily know the process. So, not hold back, not be intimidated to ask questions. The RTPO process we, on the behalf of Center of Student Involvement, we try to make it as easy and as smooth as possible. Our goal is to increase involvement [and] give that UTRGV experience overall.”