UBC Dance Club

UBC Dance Club | Dance With Us

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Our twenties, in my opinion, is a time in life that is perfect for exploration and going on adventures that you’ve never gone on, or might not have time for in the future. When you really think about it, once you’re done university it’s not always possible to take a month off from work and other responsibilities to go travelling or do something for yourself. So naturally my thoughts were “YOLO I SHOULD GO BACKPACKING.”

This past summer I made a bit of a spontaneous decision and decided to go backpacking by myself through Western Europe. If you don’t know me, I’m a 5’3.5 asian female, and so some people were surprised that I was going alone. I’ll admit it was a little intimidating at first but honestly it was a fantastic experience. One that I am proud of and will be memorable to me.

BUT I don’t want to bore you with details about how it was a life changing experience blah blah blah. I want to share with you things that I learned about travelling (in Western Europe) and hopefully it will help you make the step to buying tickets for your next adventure!  

1. Go with a friend, or go alone!

- There were points in my trip where I literally went hours on end without talking to anyone. It could get lonely backpacking alone but at the same time if you stay in hostels, it’s super easy to make friends! As well, if you travel solo you can see the world on your own time.

Wake up alarms? Who needs that?

Want to sit in a park and people watch instead of going to a tourist destination? I’m going to pop a seat and people watch!

BUTTTT with that said, part of me wanted a friend to share my experiences with. It would have been nice to be able to share stories with someone I knew not only while travelling but also when I got home.

2. Your backpack should weigh less than 12kg.

- No one (and I mean no one) wants to walk or run around with a heavy backpack. How else are you going to run for trains/buses/planes when you’re late?

3. Don’t be fooled into buying everything on “What to pack when backpacking” blogs.

- You should always do a little research before going on your trip, and that includes what you might want to pack. But seriously, some of the things on some people’s lists are plain unnecessary: a drying line, fancy water bottles, expensive gadgets… just no. Use your common sense, would you use these things at home? Probably not. So don’t buy them. You can get pretty resourceful while travelling so just be smart about what you buy.

4. Invest in a quick dry towel!

- Best $20 you’ll probably spend on a towel. Soooo convenient.

5. Haven’t figured out where you want to travel to?

- That’s ok! Honestly you could buy your tickets to Europe and then just figure it out as you go. Travelling within Europe is one of the easiest things I’ve ever done. It’s arguably as easy as bussing within Vancouver. Check out sites such as ryan air, easy jet, or go to the train stations and you can figure out where you want to go next by seeing what cheap tickets are available!

6. Smart Phone?

- There is no need to purchase a SIM card or a phone plan if you’re travelling in Europe. Turn on airplane mode on your phone and connect to wifi whenever it’s available. Seriously, wifi became my most wanted commodity while I was away. I’m assuming you won’t really need to call or text anyone - and then that’s where Facebook Messenger becomes the greatest invention ever.

7. Trust your street smarts.

- Especially if you’re travelling alone, you obviously need to be a little more aware, but don’t be afraid to travel by yourself! Everyone has a little street smart in them, and travelling alone is sometimes the best way to really challenge yourself and put those skills to the test. You have a lot of time to discover new things about yourself and change your perception of the environment around you.

Travelling - whether alone or with friends is a chance for you to become a more educated global citizen in every aspect and also a fantastic way of personally developing. I honestly couldn’t recommend it more. I know finances can usually get in the way but even if you have to take a loan or borrow from the “Bank of Mom and Dad” it’s worth it. There is so much to see and do in this world, that I encourage everyone to try and get a peek at it no matter how long or short it might be. Be free and satisfy that wanderlust!

So you’re single. Understandable? Yes. Excusable? Maybe. Rectifiable? Absolutely. Take your next date to any of these restaurants and I personally guarantee* there will be more dates to come.

Gotham Steakhouse

The quintessential Vancouver steakhouse, Gotham never fails to disappoint. The service is always impeccable, the drinks are expertly mixed, and the steaks are cooked to perfection. This place isn’t cheap but is worth every penny.

Price: Not cheap Verdict: Awesome

Santouka Hokkaido Ramen

Of all the ramen places downtown, Santouka is the only one for which I have ever seen a line (and there is usually a line so get there early). It is well worth the wait, however; the noodles are perfectly cooked and the toppings are flavourful and add great texture. The real star, though, is the broth; it’s simmered for 20 hours and is rich and full of flavour. Perfect for hangovers.  

Price: Cheap Verdict: Awesome

Tojo’s

Arguably one of the best sushi restaurants in Vancouver, Tojo’s shows quality comes at a price. The sushi is exceedingly fresh and there is a wide selection of sake. Be sure to try to the sea urchin and toro.

Price: Not Cheap Verdict: Awesome

BC Sushi

BC Sushi was the first all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant to which I’ve been and will thus always have a special place in my heart. The quality is obviously not on par with that of Tojo’s but is pretty good for an AYCE place. BC Sushi is also the only AYCE place I’ve visited that will give you 30 pieces of sashimi when you order 30 pieces of sashimi. And for that, it’s awesome.  

Price: Cheap Verdict: Awesome

Bishop’s

I have to admit my first impression of Bishop’s was not the greatest; their front door looks like it has seen better days. After stepping inside, however, I was pleasantly surprised. The décor is cozy and the staff is exceedingly friendly. The menu is small (which I love) and the food is excellent.

Price: Not Cheap Verdict: Awesome

Guu

The first time I went to Guu was actually in Toronto. After dining there, I was excited to go to its roots and try its Vancouver locations. Needless to say, I was not disappointed. The food is great for sharing and the staff is always very friendly. You really can’t go wrong with any of its 6 locations in Vancouver.

Price: Cheap-ish Verdict: Awesome

Japadog

Less than 24h after arriving in Vancouver for the first time, one of my friends took me to Japadog. It was a good choice, as my first impression of the food available in Vancouver was a great one; the Japanese-style hot dogs are unique and full of great flavours. Be sure to try the wasabi mayo.

Price: Cheap Verdict: Awesome

West

Great food. Elegantly high ceilings. Exceptional service. What more could you or your date ask for? Be sure to save room for dessert; they are particularly good.

Price: Not Cheap Verdict: Awesome

Peaceful Restaurant

I’m usually not a fan of Chinese restaurants. In fact, I only went to Peaceful Restaurant after seeing it featured on the Food Network. I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised; the food was good and the staff, friendly. Be sure to try the Peaceful Beef Roll.

Price: Cheap Verdict: Good

CinCin

Consistently ranked as one of the best Italian restaurants in Vancouver, CinCin is perfect for elegant lunches and dinners. Featuring a wood-fired oven and pastas made daily in-house, CinCin features a delectable menu of Italian inspired favourites. Be sure to try the tiramisu.

Price: Not Cheap Verdict: Good

One More Sushi

With respect to food, One More is quite standard. What makes this place good, though, is its very friendly staff and very convenient location on campus. Perfect for lunch and a round of sake between classes.

Price: Cheap Verdict: Good

You’re welcome in advance for the continuous stream of amazing dates.

Andrew -DC External VP

We are already more than halfway into 2014! Oh how time flies/zooms/dashes/sprints. Well this means it’s time to check up on the progress of my New Year’s resolution, or what I like to call “Melinda’s Big Dreams for 2014”.

One of my “big dreams” is to get a six pack by the end of the year. What are the chances of me getting one? Hmm probably not that high, but that’s my motivation to push myself. I think sometimes it’s nice to set high standards, and then have daily attainable goals that get you closer to that standard. Why a six pack? It’s just a personal preference, and I guess I’d like to be able to see the “fruits of my labour” (which sounded so much better in my head…).

I’ve always kind of been an internet bum ever since I got my first computer in Grade 9. I do like sports, but somehow I just end up sitting in front of my computer playing games and watching dramas. It wasn’t until the end of 2013 that I told myself to get off my butt and be more physically active. Dance was a good start, but I wanted to do more to make up for my lack of sport activities back in high school. One of my mini goals to get to my dream six pack was to join the UBC REC volleyball league. 

[my other goal]

I had wanted to join back in first year, but I was afraid to ask people to start a team and I’m not good at volleyball. I’m glad I got over that fear because I had a great volleyball team this year in term 2 (of 2013/14). Playing with them was a lot of fun; plus I got my exercise in and learned some new skills. It’s a win-win-win situation, and I’m one step closer to getting that six pack! Other than volleyball, a bunch of friends got me hooked on to ultimate (VUL). I was a little hesitant at first since I’ve never really played ultimate before, but someone told me that all you have to do is run. Running = exercise, so perfect! But oh no, ultimate is actually a lot more than running. It’s sprinting, throwing, catching, jumping, blocking, diving, etc. It’s exhausting, but it feels so good after (especially when we win). Again, playing with such an amazing ultimate team keeps me motivated to go to every game.

[how I play ultimate]

However, there is still one thing I need to do to build my six pack (and other muscles), which is to go to the gym! I did go to the gym before (UBC Birdcoop), but I usually don’t stay there for long and I don’t go often… I got lazy, and since I was doing it by myself I didn’t feel obligated to go. So it was great when I found a few gym buddies last week! We all want to work on different things, but we keep each other motivated (oh she’s doing 5 more crunches; I better do 5 more as well). Of course, know the limit of your body; if it’s your first time lifting weights, start with lighter weights first and slowly move up. Whether you like working out by yourself or with a friend/s, I think everybody should go to the gym at least once. Give it a try, there’s nothing to lose but lots to gain (ehhh if you know what I mean *flex*). Though I’m trying to go to the gym every day, you still won’t catch me up at 6am to hit the gym. No way. 

One “big dream” led to many small, realistic, goals that changed my lazy lifestyle to a more active one. I mean, I still like sitting in front of my computer, but at least I’m not doing that all day every day. You don’t have to join a sports league or be a gym rat to be physically active. Just do something that you enjoy and that keeps your heart pumping. Now try to do that every day! :)

Hopefully I will keep this up until the end of this year and beyond. If I start reverting back to my computer bum self, please come up to me and poke me in the stomach and say, “Hey, so where’s your six pack abs?”

Work hard, play hard!

I’ve never been an immersed sports fan. This is possibly due to my indifference to organized sports, of which football (or soccer, depending on which side of the revolution you were on) is no exception. Identifying myself based on a color grouping or mascot is something I’ve never had the pleasure of sharing with my friends and family. I don’t always watch football, but when I do, I don’t. Having come from a small community college, I ended up befriending many international students from different parts of the globe. They may speak many languages and dialects, but seem to mystically meld into one culture whenever football comes up. I’d always excuse myself when the group gathered around a YouTube replay of last night’s match; an hour and a half later, the score was still zero across the board. Glad to see I hadn’t missed anything. However, it was a bond with my friends that I never gave the chance to form. To me there was too much to catch up on in order to enjoy it; thus, I never bothered.

This year however I ended up watching the World Cup again during my summer return to California. "Fuleco the Armadillo showing the exact number of things I know about football."

Perhaps “ended up” is not the best choice of words; it implies that I had no choice in whether I did or not. The reality is that I had, on my way to pick up some milk, taken a quick detour into the local sports bar offering $2 sleeves from their taps. USA vs Germany started somewhere between my third and fourth pint.   Fast forward two weeks later to the final match played between GER vs ARG (both teams trying to sound rather intimidating). A fire pit, on which our party had agreed that the fans of the losing team would offer themselves as tribute and lunch, was readied outside. Our barbeque party saw the living room divided between two dozen fans of both teams; I sat in support of the German master race.

"They told me to bring a German flag to show support. Nailed it."

Between Messi’s speed-hacks, Schweinsteiger’s tears of blood, and beautiful saves by the goalpost, the two-hour game saw both teams put up a valiant struggle for the chance to realize a lifetime of dreams and determination. It also, unfortunately, saw our party run out of drinks at the 104th minute mark. Yet I felt closer with my compatriots than ever before, if only for a short while.

Most changes worthy of doing aren’t nearly as easy of course. Starting as someone who can barely dance on beat to becoming someone who dances ballroom at a champion level requires a lot more sweat and determination than learning to enjoy football. However, the notion is pleasantly similar: if you want to be a person who dances, go dance.

Maybe there are reasons why you still haven’t tried it yet. You’re not graceful? Have no musical talent? Can’t count in threes (guilty)? There could be an unending list of reasons for why we have never tried doing a certain thing, but organizing all of them in a neat and formatted spreadsheet isn’t going to help the progress. Figuring out those reasons won’t help one improve nearly as much as doing it will. Once you begin, most of these reasons that once held you back will be so silly in retrospect, and the journey upwards becomes ever more enjoyable when we realize how far we’ve come.

 It’s encouraging to know that we can always edit our stories and how others see us. All it takes is some action towards the desired direction, because nothing is ever set in stone (except maybe Kirsten’s height). I was held back from enjoying football culture with my friends because I did not try. Now I cheer in unison with others each time our team scores.

 "Touchdown!" This has been an inspirational service message from your Dance Club treasurer.

Why hello y’all. I hope your summer is going splendidly. Not going to lie, I am a little disappointed at the weather this season. The sun seems to be shying away and it’s hard to get into the summer vacation mentality. Not to worry, however. You know what never goes out of season? Liquor!

Now don’t be fooled by this blog post’s enthusiasm towards booze. I assure you I am not an alcoholic. I am only proposing various summer indulgences that coincidentally contain a common ingredient: alcohol :D

So let’s get to it shall we?

4 Summer Themed Ways to Consume Alcohol*

1. Jell-O Shots 

Ever finish eating a watermelon and wonder what on earth you should do with the rind? Well do I have a solution for you! As you can see by this magnificent photo below, repurpose your watermelon rinds to make delicious Jell-O shots. Not only are these easier to eat than Jell-O shots made in those pesky plastic shot glasses, but you are repurposing a watermelon rind. How hipster is that?

2. Popsicles

Nuff said.

3. Healthy(ish) Snack?

If you have some extra fruit (such as watermelon since you just scooped it out to make awesome Jell-O shots), why not just pour some wine or vodka on it and make it a little snack?

4. Minute Margaritas

For those of you who are like me and can’t cook, this is the simpliest way to make the most ghetto margarita of your life.

Step 1: Get tequila Step 2: Get some lime sorbet Step 3: Pour the tequila over the lime sorbet Step 4: BAM! You have turned into Emeril Lagasse and you’ve made a margarita

So if you have the time, try some of these babies out and tell me what you think. I look forward to hearing about the fun times you had and how awesome these boozy treats were.

Cheers!

Kaitlyn  - DC Marketing Director

People generally view creative outlets such as drawing or writing as something done independently. There are, however, countless ways you can use these activities to bond or keep in touch with others. In this blog, I’ll give you a few ideas of creative activities you could do with friends.

Drawing Battles

This is fun to do with someone else when you’re really bored or are just simply attempting to avoid studying and working on essays. Each person does a quick sketch of a character then takes turns drawing in weapons to attack, equipment to defend with, or items to acquire special abilities. I’ve found that the longer you do this with someone the crazier and more outlandish the methods of both offense and defense become. As long as you can draw it, you’re free to do whatever your innovative mind comes up with!

Things You Can’t Draw Challenge:

In this one you come up with challenges for each other to draw. However, they aren’t just any kind of challenges, but the weirdest and most ridiculous challenges you can think of. (Some examples include Disney princesses fighting off a zombie Walt Disney during the apocalypse at Disneyland; Mr. Darcy proposing to a punk rocker chick with piercings in unconventional places as Elizabeth looks on with a scowl on her face; or a feminine robot that has fallen in love with a snowman but their love cannot be.) You end up with some pretty fantastic pictures drawn by your friends and it’s an entertaining way of keeping in contact with people. Make sure to set a date to swap the pictures so you actually end up doing it and it doesn’t just end up as one of those things you always say you’re going to do, but it never ends up happening.

Collaborative Poetry:

Writing with others is a great way to collaborate inventive minds and to work with different perspectives than you’re used to. A cool thing to do is to start with a theme then have each person write a couplet. To add an extra challenge, make it so the couplets have a rhyme scheme.

Mad Libs:

These are incredibly amusing and you end up with some pretty great stories. The basic idea is to have someone write a very short story then others fill in the blanks. Wikipedia explains how Mad Libs work a lot better than I could: Wikipedia page (External Link)

Story Time:

Another thing you could do is have everyone involved create their own characters, decide an order for people to write in, and then just keep cycling through that order whilst writing scenes involving those characters. Each person can only write a certain amount of sentences at a time (3 is generally a good number to keep things going). It’s really interesting to see how ideas completely diverge in a different direction than the original intention. Also, working with the random twists that people add in gives a great challenge. It forces you to consider everything from a different mindset as your friends could add in aspects or events you would never have thought of. It also gives you and your group of friends your own set of characters to obsess over and to imagine what crazy situations they would get themselves into.

Expressing your creativity is an excellent way to relax and let off some steam when life gets busy. And if neither drawing nor writing is your cup of tea, dancing is always a great way to relieve some stress and to have a great time!

Photograph Credit: Twentieth Century Fox

  Summer is finally here. It’s the time to unwind. The time to actually do the things we wanted to do now that we are finished with school, at least for a while. Some of you may have already started enjoying your summer; some of you may have just started. I know for me, I just started my summer vacation. Having just finished my 2nd year in Pharmacy school and one month of clerkship, I have just begun to think to myself: what do I want to get done this summer?

  This summer, I want to step out of my comfort zone and try things that I’ve never done before. For me, I want to get out in the outdoors more by going on more hikes and camping trips. I want to explore British Columbia and see what nature has to offer. I also want to be more active and pick up yoga again. I truly believe that personal growth will feel uncomfortable at first, but it always begins at the end of your comfort zone.

Photograph Credit: Tripadvisor

  So what are you going to do this summer? Try something new! Routines stagnates us. New experiences help us grow and they make life so much more interesting. So I challenge you to try a new activity this week. It could be as small as trying out a new restaurant, talking to a stranger or reaching out to that old friend you haven’t talked to in awhile! What do you have to lose?

  Once you get the ball rolling, these new experiences will open doors to life changing opportunities. With continuous small steps to new experiences, we are able to sidestep the biggest barrier to positive change: Fear.

  If ballroom is one of the things that you want to venture, I want to share with you the Robson Square Dance Series that is going to take place every Friday from June 27th to August 29th There will be FREE social dancing and lessons starting at 7:30pm and demos from 9pm.

  Photograph Credit: Dance Sport BC

   Join me and try something new this summer. Remember, people regret the things they did not do!

  Happy venturing,

The days are getting longer and sunnier. In these summer months, it's not always about doing what you had planned, but taking advantage of things that come up. There are lots of fun things to do around Vancouver this, and every, summer. With each activity/event, you run into a lot of different people doing different things and looking for different things in their lives. This is one aspect that has always interested me.

  When you're five years old, anyone who's six and older is very strange and foreign. You don't understand what age means and that's fine, but looking back it all makes sense as that one year is a whole 1/5th of their age. This kinda continues through; life, however, gets stressed and strained as you keep getting older. I remember being really young, pre-eight(ish) years old, and thinking that my brother (two years older than me) was super old and cool. I'm gonna break out and say that that last part didn't stick around for too long...but that's something brothers do, and not really relevant to today's inquiry.

  By the time you're in 5th or 6th grade, you THINK you might be getting it. You're quickly nearing the top of the school yard food chain. You're better than the 2nd graders who do silly things, and the 3rd and 4th graders who are all annoying. You're almost top dog and you feel pretty good about it. This is one of the first... well i'm going to call it an "Age Gate". It's when everything you thought there was about being older changes. This occurs when you enter middle school, or junior high; in other words, that period of school where they stick the grades 7-9 together in one school. You enjoyed being top dog for about two years and were used to it. You thought you were cool, and you were, but then what was cool changed.

You go from being the big 6th grader in junior school to the bottom of the food chain.

  Again, you work your way up to the top dog position in middle school/junior high. Once at the top,you bask in your amazing cool-ness. The interesting thing about this "Age Gate" is that it keeps happening. First from junior school (what I call Elementary School), to middle school, and then again on to high school. The only difference is the definition or aspect of "cool" changes. In junior school, it might be the best ball from PE class;

in high school, a large part of being "cool" was attitude and driving... among other less savory things.

  Ok, so we have lived a good portion of our lives where age meant a lot. You didn't really hang out with anyone plus-minus one year of your own age. Then there's university. To be noted, it's another "Age Gate" where everything changes, but it's also the last "Age Gate". People's age stop mattering. It doesn't matter that my favourite person to chef it up with is close to four years my senior, though he doesn't act like it, and that I got to spend lots of time with people over six years my senior (lots of them are even older, and I'm not the youngest person in Dance Club by a long shot). It was pretty strange coming from high school just two years ago and having everything change. While it wasn't THAT big of a change for me, I can definitely imagine it having a large affect on others.

  The main thing from this reflection is that how through a large chunk of our early years which we spend learning is totally contradicted in a single semester in university. Granted for some it might take longer, and others shorter, it still stands that it's a pretty big switch. I don't fully get it, and that's what's great about it. I know age means less now because there's more mixing, and I like it this way. It's much more interesting being able to talk to everyone regardless of age, but it still bothers me that there's no real reason for this. That is other then us just being stupid kids (guilty here) and being comfortable around those our own age.

  No matter what the reason is (scientific, behavioral, cultural, or whatever), it doesn't change the fact that age doesn't mean much at UBC which is great. Either way, it seems age means less and less as we get older. With that said, there are still some milestones that are pretty cool to hit regardless of your current age. I believe those milestones are turning 13, you're now a teen; 16,18 and 19, you can drive/vote/drink (in BC); 20, you're no longer a teen; 30/40/60/70/80/90, multiples of ten is fun(but probably gets a bit tiring around 60); 50 and 100, the half and full century. I have to say I'm looking forward to a few more of these just to see how I get there, and how things go for me.

  That's enough for today as this newly 20-year-old has some drinking and cake eating to do, so I'll catch you guys around the dance floor.(http://poorlydrawnlines.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/the-sickest-gift.jpg)

While I’m sure some of you have been taking summer classes this term or are working full time, there are always plenty of opportunities to go outside and enjoy the amazing summer sun and take in the fresh air. Vancouver is quite a big city and there is so much to do, especially in the coming months. 

Point Grey 2014 Fiesta A three day event in and around Trimble Park featuring carnival rides, a parade, and lots of shows! It’s very family friendly and accessible. More details can be found here: http://www.pointgreyfiesta.org/. 

Robson Square Summer Dance Series Starting on June 27th, the ballroom community will be taking over Robson Square every Friday night from 7:30pm – 11:30pm. It’s a great opportunity to meet other dancers in Vancouver and dance the night away. Dance Club has our own night on August 29th and we would love to see you all there!

UBCDC Adventure Series Of course we can’t forget our very own summer activities! We will be biking the seawall on June 28th, doing some sort of watersport in July (hopefully kayaking!), and having a BBQ in August. If you come to all three in addition to our night at Robson Square, you get to win a 2 for 1 general membership voucher for the upcoming year.

If you’re not the going out type, that’s okay too! I love to browse dance videos that are awe inspiring, like the one below.

I hope you have a great summer!

When you live in the rainy city that is Vancouver, I think most of us thank a higher power for all the sunny days.  My idea of a good Saturday is streaming an episode of Grey’s Anatomy during a late, late brunch at 2pm. 

 Which is why even before the quarter mark at the Grouse Grind, I was already questioning how much of a masochist I had to be to subject myself to this.  The air and scenery was great!  The company was great!  But there were mothers carrying babies passing me, people already with white hair passing me.  And I was still struggling. 

Not only that, I was terrified of being clumsy and tumbling downhill like a bowling ball!

So nothing describes how great it was to literally see the light at the tops of the trees because despite the grueling….grind (haha).  I guess I’ll go back eventually. Maybe.  I may not be super fit but I’m striving to achieve my goals as a dancer!

From one happy dancer to another,