Get to know one of our USASA Clubs, Raising the Barre! Read on to find out what the club entails and how you can be a part of the unique and wonderful things that the club does.
1. Club Name
Raising the Barre check out their socials here: Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Tik Tok: Raising.the.barre
Contact them directly here: Email
2. What are your club's main goals and aims?
We’re all about “raising the barre” on mental health one dance step at a time. Our goal is to provide young people with the opportunity to eliminate stigma, create awareness about mental health and its challenges, and to provide our members with a safe/non-judgemental space to attend and reach out. We do this through the view of our four core values: expression, equality and equity, proactive and inspire. So many people struggle to reach out for help in fear of being judged. So we want to give young people a safe space to reach out, and to give them a voice. Whether that is sitting down with people and having a conversation to get them in touch with professional help or give them the stage to communicate non-verbally.
3. What have been some of your clubs biggest achievements?
Some of our biggest achievements are around our impact in helping students seek help in multiple ways; giving them a safe space, helping them feel confident within their bodies and around other people to name a few. The great thing about using dance as a platform is that while it’s not only exercise, it’s also expressive. Dance allows people to share their experiences - good and bad – and communicate to others what it might be like to be in their world. It’s a way to communicate how you’re feeling without actually speaking, which opens up new ways for people to seek help, which is super important. Sometimes people just can't find the right words or don't have the confidence to share them with others, so by using dance, they can show through movement and facial expression how they are feeling.
4. What is your club looking forward to this year?
We run dance classes every week for young adults with beginner level choreography allowing everyone to get involved. We're super keen to deliver these classes and help young people get in touch with themselves and with help when need be.
5. How can students get involved in your club?
The best way to get involved is to sign up with us through USASA on our club page! You can also stay involved in our socials and keep up to date with our tips and choreography at home. We don’t just post choreography, we post information about mental health, tips for study, funny memes and more!
6. What's the best thing about your club?
We're not only about eliminating stigma and helping young people but about just having heaps of fun. You can see that particularly through our bloopers videos on our youtube page which show all the times we dance the weirdest moves and having all chill vibes. We like to embrace those moments where people can express themselves. It's a fun, non-judgemental space where people can enjoy themselves and it becomes a community.
7. If you had no limits on budget or space what would be your dream club event?
We would host a dance showcase with costumes, lights and all! But keeping within the theme of mental health, of course!
8. Is there anything else you would like to share that your club has to offer?
We are super passionate about eliminating stigma because it is just so detrimental to people who are suffering and to society. We obviously know that stigma can lead to discrimination, which leads to fewer jobs, bullying, lowered self-efficacy and more, all resulting in less help-seeking behaviours, and unfortunately leaving people suffering in silence or even fatal outcomes. This is particularly detrimental to young people. Furthermore, mental illness or ill-health, in general, is escalating on a wide scale. While we are on the long journey to help eliminate societal stigma, in the meantime we want to start from the in-out, i.e. self-stigma. If we can build our members up, show them the potential they have and help them feel safe, making even a minor impact on their lives, we will be happy. Winning this award prize means that we will be able to do this on the scale that we want to. With the award prizes and money, we will be able to grow into an organisation where we can reach more young people and make these things happen on a wider scale. We think that this organisation could be so helpful and unique to young people.
Join the Raising the Barre Club here.
Want to shine a light on all the unique and wonderful things your club does by taking part in our USASA Clubs Feature! We are offering you the opportunity for your club to be featured across a range of USASA and USASA Clubs social media pages.
Find the form here.