Sarah Schulte/The Ithacan MEMBERS OF IC Unbound practice the steps to a dance choreographed by junior Katie Petronio to the tune of “A Chorus Song.” The entire dance company will perform on Nov. 15.

The music begins to blare from a small boombox located in the middle of the dance floor. Nine girls, clad in gold tank tops, black hats, black pants and brown theater shoes, stand frozen in a triangular formation.

As “A Chorus Song” plays, each girl unfreezes to tip her hat, gesture with her arm upwards and out as if painting strokes with her hands; she then kicks or spins and returns to a frozen position. The music gets stronger, and the synchronized taps of the girls’ shoes echo inside the cavernous Studio 3 of Dillingham Center.

This number is choreographed by junior Katie Petronio, chairwoman of performance for IC Unbound. It’s the largest recreational sports club, with approximately 100 students participating.

“A Chorus Song” is only one of the 32 dances that will be performed on Nov. 15 and 17 for the group’s fall show. The show will cover several types of dance: musical theater, Irish, tap, basic, jazz, modern, swing, Latin and break dancing.

Junior Betsy Uhler, chairwoman of publicity, said the reason there are so many dances is because the club tries to include everyone who wants to participate.

“We try to let anyone who wants to choreograph do their dance in the show,” Uhler said. “But it’s not like anyone ever leaves, and it’s always really good.”

Senior Jenn Pierce, the president, and Petronio agree that putting on the performance is the most rewarding part of the group. The performance seems to be a favorite for students and faculty, since performances each semester usually to sell out.

Petronio said the performance helps bring the separate dance groups together for group rehearsals. She said the unique talents everyone brings combine to produce an interesting show.

“By the time the performance comes, you definitely feel accomplished,” Petronio said. “You start with nothing, and then you’re able to put on a performance.”

Pierce, a drama major with a minor in dance, said the performances and rehearsals are educational. She also said dancers and choreographers learn things about teamwork and performance in IC Unbound that cannot be learned in the classroom.

“Not only is it an outlet for dancers to express themselves and perform, but because it’s student-run, you learn a great deal of leadership and roles of responsibilities,” Pierce said. “It’s a whole other thing with deadlines because you’re not working with a professor saying this paper is due then — you’re working under your peers.”

Freshman Laura Becica said the older girls in the class have also helped her academically, recommending classes to take and giving her the opportunity to connect with people she normally wouldn’t get to know.

Becica said she always imagined herself dancing forever.

“I found myself through dance,” she said.

Becica is in four different dances this semester and echoed Petronio’s sentiments in her belief that the people in the group provide variety. She said each member provides a different “creative energy.”

While IC Unbound has about 100 members, Pierce estimates that there are less than 10 male members. But she said the addition of the break dancing group has attracted men.

“The great thing about our guys is that they are always willing to work with us in a lot of different dances, so when people need guys, they’re very versatile dancers,” Pierce said. “But, of course, we would always welcome more males … but we don’t feel limited by it.”

Cory Fazio, a junior, said he has been choreographing break dance pieces for IC Unbound for the last three semesters with his roommate. Fazio said he doesn’t mind being one of the only guys and thinks IC Unbound is a great group of people. Last semester he did a ballet duet with one of his friends, in spite of his lack of traditional dance training.

“I definitely would never have done any other kind of dance if it wasn’t for this,” Fazio said.

Pierce said encouraging new dancers to participate is always a priority.

“If you need a place to explore your artistic dance freedom, we’re the place to do it,” she said.