One of the Ballroom Dance Team’s primary goals is to reach out to the Ann Arbor and University communities that have invested so much in us. We showcase for other student organizations, host workshops of affordable, small-group dance lessons, and we have recently started a new project to give free ballroom dance lessons to Ann Arbor high schools. If your organization would like to become partners with us in our community outreach efforts, or would like our team to perform at one of your events, please contact us.

Thank you to everyone who helped us raise over $500 ($539.60) for the National Wildlife Federation! We truly appreciate all your support and hope you enjoyed our spontaneous dance shows! Please check back here for info on further community outreach efforts and please continue to stay informed on the oil spill efforts and how you can help!

Thank you very much,

the UMBDT

Help us break $500 in direct donations to the National Wildlife Federation's oil spill rescue efforts Friday (TODAY!) on Main St. at 5:30pm! We will be dancing our hearts out to help raise funds for the wildlife endangered by the BP oil spill, and we hope you will support us and join in our efforts!

For the latest on the threatened wildlife, check out this CNN article on the debate over euthanasia vs. rescue.

Go here for more on the NWF, how it's helping, and the impacts of the oil spill on wildlife.

Thank you to everyone who came out and donated to the National Wildlife Federation at our 2nd street performance at the Kerrytown Farmer's Market! With the help of about 20 UMBDT members and the generosity of the public (and of Smoothie King who donated free waters to our hard-working dancers), we raised $256.03 to help the National Wildlife Federation in their relief efforts for the willife endangered by the BP oil spill--almost double our collections from our first event  ($140.25)!! Find out how your donations will help here (see "National Wildlife Federation Gulf Oil Spill Restoration Fund"). Also, don't forget that you can help right now by texting "Wildlife" to 20222 to donate $10 to the NWF.

In an effort to raise money for cleaning up the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the UMBDT is collecting donations at street performances throughout the U of M campus and Ann Arbor area. All donations will go to the National Wildlife Federation which is one of many conservation groups working to save wildlife endangered by the BP oil spill.

Our efforts began Saturday,  May 29th at the Kerrytown Farmer's Market, where 10 UMBDT members hit the streets to raise money. In just over an hour, we raised $140.25 in donations! We also encouraged onlookers to text "Wildlife" to 20222 in order to donate $10 to the National Wildlife Federation.

Catch us Saturday, June 5th again at the Kerrytown Farmer's Market and throughout the duration of this disaster in order to help the cause, or text the above number to the NWF in order to donate right now! We will keep you updated here and on our Facebook page as to where will be collecting donations and dancing next.

We encourage all our fellow dance groups to join in the cause and use your ability to entertain in order to help save the innocent victims of this tragedy. Share with us what you're doing to help the cause at our Facebook page.

To refresh your memory and stay updated on the oil spill itself, check out CNN's timeline here: http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/05/03/timeline.gulf.spill/index.html. Or find out how the National Wildlife Federation is helping and what else you can do at www.nwf.org

The Ballroom Dance Team has worked with both community and student organizations over the years. Below are some of the organizations/events we have performed for. For a list of our upcoming performances please consult our calendar.

• PROVIDES                                                                          
• Dance Marathon
• Dance Mix
• Artscapade
• Go Blue Beat OSU week
• Hands-On Musuem
• Groove
• Red Ribbon Ball
• Cancer Awareness Week
• Claire Bridge Senior Center
• United Methodist Church
• JSA
• VSA
• Ford Ballroom Dance Club
• Ballroom Dance Club at the University of Michigan
• Dance Theatre Studio
• And our very own Welcome Week Events

Here are some samples of our past showcases:

If your organization would like the Ballroom Dance Team to perform a showcase for your events, please submit a showcase request by sending an email to ballroom-exec@umich.edu with the following information:

• Whether you would like 1) a showcase , 2) a group lesson,  or 3) both.
• What is the event name? Please provide a description.
• Date of the event
• What level dancers are preferred (A-level or B-level)
• Contact Information
• Any additional information you'd like to know