About Our Club
Heriot-Watt University Dance Club (HWUDC) started as a society in 2014 and received club status within the Sports Union in 2016. HWUDC has both competition and recreational mixed gender teams in five styles of dance: contemporary, ballet, jazz, street and highland.
We welcome dancers of all abilities and experience, whether you have danced your whole life or never danced before! Even if you have experience in a particular style of dance that we do not offer, it’s always great to try something new!
As a club, we entered our first competition in 2015 at the Northampton University Dance Competition. Since then we have participated in the Manchester, Sheffield, Edinburgh, Liverpool and Nottingham University dance competitions with some successes. HWUDC placed first in Intermediate Jazz category at Liverpool University Dance Society Competition 2018. Most recently, the club placed 1st in Intermediate Jazz, 2nd in Intermediate Ballet, and 2nd in Intermediate Contemporary at Nottingham University Dance Competition.
Club charter
We aim to provide the following service to all our members:
- To provide an opportunity for any student to enjoy a physical activity and improve their physical, and mental, health and wellbeing.
- To provide an opportunity for any student improve their skills and develop their dancing ability.
- To provide an opportunity for members to develop friendships with students at Heriot-Watt University as part of the training, competition and social events at HWUDC.
What does a typical season involve?
Training
Since our 17/18 season, we have held auditions for those who would like to become part of the competition teams. These auditions take place early on in Semester 1 and involve all members; new or existing, committee or non-committee.
Recreational classes are still available to those who do not wish to compete, those who are unsuccessful in auditions and also those who do make the competition teams. We want to ensure that a divide is not created between recreational and competition members. This is also done through frequent social events. Rec teams focus on fitness and fun, much like our Strength and Conditioning session which is held once a week and open to everyone.
Competitions
We compete in a minimum of two competitions a year in locations across the UK. For the last two years, one of these competitions has been the Edinburgh University Modern Dance Society Competition, and the other has been a competition held by an English University. This involves organising a HWUDC weekend away to our chosen city. Non-competing club members are hugely encouraged to attend competitions as well in order to support the teams and experience one of the best social events of the season.