The Daily Tar Heel
Printing news. Raising hell. Since 1893.
Friday, March 29, 2024 Newsletters Latest print issue

We keep you informed.

Help us keep going. Donate Today.
The Daily Tar Heel

Carolina Vibe strives to make a difference through dance

Carolina Vibe
Carolina Vibe, a dance team on campus, performs a variety of dance styles. Photo courtesy of Caroline Massengale.

Carolina Vibe, a dance group on campus, is impassioned by more than simply entertaining the masses. The dancers care about their Chapel Hill community — specifically, the UNC Children’s Hospital. 

Carolina Vibe is hosting their fall showcase this Friday at 8 p.m. at the Sonja Haynes Stone Center for Black Culture and History. Admission is free; in lieu of an admissions cost, Carolina Vibe requests that their audience members make a donation to Carolina For The Kids. The organization seeks to provide emotional, medical and financial support for the patients and families served by UNC Children's Hospital.

Carolina Vibe, comprised of over 20 dancers, encourages many styles of dance including lyrical, hip-hop and jazz. They will be performing around eight short pieces incorporating these styles and more. 

They practice every Monday and Wednesday to prepare for the fall showcase, which is a teaser for their longer recital in the spring. The show will last around 45 minutes.

UNC senior Kelly Davis, president of Carolina Vibe, knows the importance of community at UNC-Chapel Hill. 

“Students should support UNC’s art as a whole," Davis said. "Everyone is supportive of our art, and we try to be supportive of other people. We really keep that (support) strong here at UNC.” 

She said in addition to supporting the art, the donations to Carolina For The Kids should add extra incentive for newcomers to check out Carolina Vibe.

UNC junior and dancer Caroline Massengale said she was very excited about the donation portion of the show. She emphasized that the money from their dancing would go to a “really good cause.” 

UNC sophomore and dancer Ariel Lee could only praise Carolina Vibe. She said that most of the dancers have competition or studio experience, so they perform at a strong level of skill in every piece. Lee also made parallels comparing dancing and life in general. “You learn so many lessons through it about determination and commitment,” she said. 

Davis expressed similar sentiments about Carolina Vibe. “They really push themselves and I think that’s something that really sets us apart,” she said. 

Davis said in ten years, she'll remember the relationships she formed with the girls in the group most of all. 

Massengale and Davis spoke to the family atmosphere of the Carolina Vibe dance company. They said they could be themselves and they share similar passions, including dance and supporting Carolina for the Kids.

Above all, community is what matters most to Carolina Vibe.

“Dance is a universal language no matter where you came from or where you want to go. It’s something that binds us together,” Lee said. 

@marinkherold

arts@dailytarheel.com

To get the day's news and headlines in your inbox each morning, sign up for our email newsletters.