Laughter mixes with song tracks as it filters down the stairs of the Haverford College’s GIAC (Gardner Integrated Athletic Center.) It’s the sound of the Shift Dance Company; a Bi-Co dance group, the team includes student dancers from both Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges, of varying skill levels and experiences, but all with the same passion for dance.
Founded in 2017 by Shivani Parikh (Haverford College ’20), the company has long been a place for dancers—especially those with previous experience in contemporary and ballet—to find a community at college.
“I feel like the style of dance really sets us apart,” Bryn Mawr freshman Anastacia Dulany said. Many dance groups across campus are typically cultural or fusion-style dancing, aspects that are reflected in their performances, but Shift’s mission is to cater to advanced—though they encourage all to audition—dancers, providing a space for those looking for “an intense level of dance training.”
This week, I had the chance to sit through a practice as the group prepared for their upcoming performance in April. Students were gathered in groups, working out small confusions and missteps in their routines. Some were serious, others were laughing and chattering, but when the music switched on, the dancers immediately flowed into position and began their routines seamlessly. Looking into the room, it is clear that these dancers are a family—even outside of the rehearsal space—built on a mutual understanding and respect for dance.
“You really get to know everyone, and it becomes a collaborative community when we spend a lot of time together,” senior and co-head Milligan Straub said. Straub has been dancing since she was three years old, and found Shift while searching for a way to get involved with a student-led organization outside of just the dance department and classes offered. Entirely student-run, all of Shift’s pieces are student-choreographed, allowing for leadership opportunities and new experiences. “It’s nice to get a sense of everyone’s separate dance styles and then be in a space where all those styles come together,” Straub added. For students interested in dancing with Shift, but unable to make the time commitment, the group hosts open classes throughout the semester, which are spoken highly of around the bi-co. The collaboration and community is palpable in the way members interact and engage, both with each other and their craft.
Like Straub, Dulany found Shift while looking for a space to dance in college. “Dancing wasn’t something that I did a lot in high school because I quit dancing professionally right before,” she explained. “I wanted to try out the first semester, but I was like ‘I don’t know, I feel like I’m balancing a lot of stuff right now.’” She ultimately decided against it at the time, but when the second semester rolled around, she auditioned and was offered a spot in the company. “I’ve never done this style of dance before… as intense as this, so that’s what intrigued me to join, just the general experience,” she elaborated. Looking into the future, Dulany said, “I’m really excited to continue to connect with people [and] continue to enjoy this.”
