Tiffany Dawson has a new dance routine to show off at parties whenever Lady Gaga's "Telephone" plays.
She plans to continue polishing her performances skills and maybe even belt out a few numbers throughout the semester. And UF's Nadine McGuire Theatre and Dance Pavilion, where UF student-run theater group Florida Players offers classes, is just the place for her to do it.
Dawson, a UF psychology freshman, has been involved with the arts since her sophomore year of high school. Doing the Florida Players' workshop was her first leap back into the scene since she started college last fall.
"I'm going to go to all the workshops they offer," said Dawson, a new member of the Florida Players. "These may even be all that people need to get a jump start into what they're interested in."
Florida Players held the second edition of its newest initiative, The Weekly Workshops, on Feb. 23. The program offers free workshops to the public and is designed to provide the Gainesville community with ways to get involved on and off stage.
"Anytime you can commit someone to use their creativity, it's a beautiful thing," said Derek Butts, Florida Players spokesman.
Butts believes the workshops are a perfect opportunity for people with stage fright to shake their fear or for those with an itch to take the stage to scratch that itch.
Attendees will walk away from the seminars with a tool belt of dance combinations, warm-up exercises and performance tips at their disposal, he said. If they're looking for an honest critique, they can also bring audition material and personal projects to the workshops for advice.
Butts said the workshops reach out to people looking to pursue theater on the side or who would like to reap the future benefits of having such skills.
Those who attend receive an hour-long crash course on different facets of theater, such as set design, musical performance and technical directing.
Roxanna Barrios, vice president of Florida Players, welcomed new members and kicked off the series by hosting the first workshop on Feb. 9. She said the turnout was high for The Weekly Workshops' open house and that day, fresh faces to the organization and to the Gainesville theater community filled the room.
This is not the first time the club has taken its services beyond performances. Annually, the organization hosts a Master Class, when a talent professional from New York City or Los Angeles shares his or her wisdom.
In the past, award-winning actors, Broadway cast members and casting directors have made appearances in Gainesville - among them, Gregory Jvara and Katie Finnerin.
From communication skills to teamwork, Barrios said these efforts work to generate a sense of community that can benefit anyone in any major.
"We think everyone can benefit from Florida Players, regardless of whether you're on stage or not," Barrios said.
Funded by UF's student government, the club is provided with a budget to finance all of its activities.
David Duclos, treasurer for the Florida Players, said the amount is large enough to help the organization follow through with its projects. Club activities are also supported through TCBY frozen yogurt fundraisers, club shirt sales and Activities and Service Fees, which are built into UF student tuition and charge about $12 per registered credit hour.
If you ask the executive board, providing everything free-of-charge is a valuable feature. Duclos said it allows the club to open its doors to anyone, regardless of finances, theater experience or anything else that might get in the way.
Since 1932, Florida Players has been a student-run organization committed to bringing a taste of the professional world of theater to Gainesville. Aside from its show season, the organization hopes it will garner fresh attention through the classes.
In the future, it plans to collaborate with other student organizations and theater companies to offer extra expertise in the workshops.
By providing easy access to the stage, the club hopes membership will grow, along with the spread of performing arts throughout the city.
"The arts are so important to our development and our sanity," Duclos said. "They're a great starting point for a variety of things."
