By Hailey McConnel
Students were moving and grooving to win the top spot at Exercise is Medicines’ (EIM) first Just Dance Competition. Using the beloved video game, Cal State Monterey Bay’s (CSUMB) Kinesiology department wanted to offer students a fun, alternative way of exercising that creates community and support for others.
However, the Kinesiology department was not alone in facilitating this competition. Collaborating with CSUMB’s Otter Dance Team, some of the members participated in the competition, while others were set judges. With the campus dance team present, there was non-stop support for fellow students that wanted to exercise through dance.
“It is all about the community aspect, I see people more inclined to do exercise as a part of a group,” said Manuel Estrada, a fourth year student and EIM physical activity leader. “Being yourself speaks volumes and encourages others to participate.”
Right at the door, excitement poured out of the staff. Dressed in costume to resemble certain Just Dance sequences, they greeted students with smiles and information on where to go once inside.
After passing through the door adorned with gold streamers, the welcome table greeted everyone with potential prizes and winnable merchandise. Ranging from stress balls shaped as weights to bracelets and stickers, that could be won by spinning a wheel.
Inside the classroom, all the tables were cleared to make room for the designated dance floor; seats on the outskirts of the dance floor sat all 20 contestants. Colorful strobe lights and lit glow sticks – given to students upon arrival – were the only lighting – setting an atmospheric vibe for the competition.
The judges sat at a long table along the back wall, which showcased the randomized bracket for the competition. Before the competition started the dance team led students through a warm up consisting of different dances such as the Wobble and Cha Cha Slide.
“We definitely got our heart rates up, we are sweating in here and dance is a great way to get active and it is not your norm exercise,” said Ashley Holland, an EIM physical activity leader and fourth year kinesiology major.
The competition progressed in a bracket style, where two people would compete and whoever won would advance to the next round against a new dancer.
“We judged them on how well they dance, with their facials and the energy they brought to the performance,” said Daniela Zapien, a third year hospitality and tourism major and member of the Otter Dance Team. “This event brought light to the love of dance which I loved and I think it did great getting people excited to come together.”
There were six rounds that lasted two minutes each, where Just Dance sequences were pulled up on YouTube and the contestants matched the avatar’s dance moves to their best ability. Participants danced to the Justa Dance choreography for songs including “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen and “Pump It” by the Black Eyed Peas. Shouts of support from both the staff and the dance team could be heard while students were dancing.
Even though there were only two contestants competing at a time, everyone was encouraged to dance with them rather than sit on the sidelines. In the end, though, there were special prizes given to the top three winners: an exercise band for third, a massage gun for second and a Polaroid camera for first place.
“This was so fun and the first time I have played Just Dance in a while, so I was surprised cause it actually felt like a workout,” said Justin Ho, a fourth year computer science major who competed. “I like working out with my friends and this brought that same feeling.”
Photo by Hailey McConnell