By RINDY METCALF

Staff Writer

The University Dancers will bring back an '80s dance craze and mix it with today's hip-hop rhythms during halftime at tonight's Lady Techsters' basketball game in Thomas Assembly Center, located on Alabama Avenue.

Beverly Maggio, University Dancers' sponsor and artistic director and an instructor of health and physical education, said the University Dancers have been a fixture at Tech for more than 30 years, and their purpose has not changed since then.

"[We] are like a service organization as well as an entertainment group," Maggio said.

Maggio said the dance group is not just for females, and tryouts are normally held during fall quarter.

The troop performs anything from modern dance to hip-hop with jazz and tap in between, Maggio said.

"Most dances we do are based on whatever is appropriate for the occasion," Maggio said.

"We have done opening numbers for pageants and performances for different organizations in the community."

Maggio said the University Dancers are especially excited about tonight's performance due to the timing.

"The dancers will perform a break dance with a flare of hip-hop as taken from the newly released movie 'You Got Served,'" Maggio said.

Maggio also said the University Dancers will be joined by two guest performers, Dewayne Clark, a senior political science major, and Jason Coleman, a senior business major.

Coleman said he has been break dancing for four years, but he has always been interested in dance. When he heard about Maggio's group, he had to join.

"Dewayne and I choreographed a dance, and we practice just about every day in the dance studio or the [Maxie Lambright Intramural Sports Center]," Coleman said.

Chelsea Richardson, a member of the University Dancers and a freshman graphic design major, said Clark and Coleman are a talented and appreciated addition to the group, even if it is just for one performance.

Richardson said she has been part of the mostly freshman group since the beginning of the quarter.

She also said the performance will be the group's first of the year, and everyone is anxious.

"It's just really neat how we can spend time together and dance," Richardson said. "We just have fun dancing, so people will have fun watching."

Janina Scalfanl, a member of the University Dancers and a freshman architecture major, said she auditioned after the fall tryouts to find a group of fun people and a different style of dancing.

Scalfanl said, "Our group adds a new, fun, upbeat and active style of dancing."