During the pandemic, partner dancing took a hit in Bellingham.
In response, Una Fusion, a fusion dance community, was launched. Their next event is June 7, at 7:30 p.m. at Presence Studio, above Bellingham Bar and Grill along Cornwall Avenue.
Hannah Roy and Sierra Bonham, friends and members of the dance community for years, were discussing their love for dance and found they both felt they were missing that community.
“We both fell in love with the sense of community fusion dance brought to us, and we feel like, especially since the pandemic, that has kind of been lacking,” Roy said. “We really wanted to be part of caring for that community and bringing a space where community could be that focus.”
Together they founded Una Fusion. “Una” means “together” in Latin, and “fusion” is the style of dance. Una Fusion holds an event on the first Saturday of every month. The event consists of a 30-minute beginner lesson, an hour-long main lesson, and a two-and-a-half-hour social dance.
“As much as we all love dance, the community is what keeps us coming back,” Bonham said. “We created a space where everyone's nice to each other. That's so special to me.”
Fusion is an ever-evolving social improvised partner dance combining different styles through music and connection. It originated when people of different dance backgrounds wanted to dance together. For example, someone from tango wanted to dance with someone from salsa.
“They didn't have similar steps and moves, but what they had in common was their connection to their partner. And so they were able to use that connection to fuse dances together,” said Eero Johnson, a guest instructor at Una Fusion’s second event. “It's about connecting with your partner and the music.”
After being in the works for a year, Una Fusion is now coming up on their third event. Entry is free for first-timers participating in the beginner lesson and is otherwise on a sliding scale from $12 to $20 to encourage more people to show up.
“Dance is an expression. It's an important thing to experience, but also understand it is a vulnerable thing to do,” said Angela Sebastian, a dance instructor at Western Washington University. “So, hopefully, people find safety to share their expression and vulnerability because once they are able to do that, it's actually pretty wonderful.”
Una Fusion is designed to be a space for new and seasoned dancers.
“Don't think you have to know anything about dance before you show up,” Roy said.
The beginner lesson, taught by Roy and Bonham, is structured for newcomers and experts who need a refresher. The main lesson features dancers from the community sharing different and unique skills, giving everyone a chance to learn something new. The social dance features two local DJs, each giving a taste of their music with a dance playlist curated for the community.
If participants are unsure about dancing, Una Fusion welcomes them to come and watch, hang out, make new friends and listen to good music.
“It's just as much about the community as about the dancing. It's for everybody,” said Johnson. “You don't have to have a dance background. If you're an open-minded, kind person who likes music and movement, then it's probably a good place to check out.”
Claire Mayne (she/her) is a city life reporter for The Front this quarter. She is a second-year at Western majoring in public relations and minoring in philosophy. When she’s not working on a story, she likes baking, listening to audiobooks and enjoying the outdoors with friends. You can reach her at clairemayne.thefront@gmail.com.
