Annual NDSU street dance welcomes students back on campus

The annual NDSU street dance that filled up Administration Avenue brought musicians from both east and west coasts to entertain students and faculty on Monday evening.

Holly Spears, originally from Wana, W.Va., kicked off the night at 9 p.m., then Tommy and the High Pilots, originally from Santa Barbara, Calif., wrapped up the evening starting at 10:30 p.m.

“This is an annual event that has been going on since as long as I have been here and as long as I can remember,” said John Lynch, a senior majoring in mathematics.

Lynch is part of Campus Attractions, which helped organize the entire event. “John’s kind of our guy here, and he’s extremely awesome,” Tom Cantillon, lead vocalist and guitarist for the band Tommy and the High Pilots, said about Lynch’s event planning for this year’s street dance.

Cantillon and his band are involved in a college booking agency that helps land them shows performing for universities like NDSU.

“The weather is beautiful, and the campus is really cool,” Cantillon said. “I think people are in a good state of mind, especially when they’re starting school -- which is kind of ironic.”

Anticipation from incoming freshmen Brittney Lystad and Hayley Haugen, both nursing majors, think events like this are extremely beneficial for not only new students but returning students as well.

“I think events like this are nice because it’s a good way to meet new people and it’s not as awkward,” Haugen said.

“I like these things because they’re exactly for meeting people,” Lystad said. “I’m really excited about everything.”

Ricardo Bertsch, a junior majoring in finance, has attended every street dance since first coming to NDSU.

“There was a lot of good socializing … I met a few new people,” Bertsch said. “But I liked last year better, but that’s just because my group of friends all love dancing … last year there was more music to dance to.”

Even though this year’s music was not Bertsch’s favorite type, he still appreciates NDSU’s annual street dance. “I just want to say ‘thanks’ for putting it on. I look forward to it every year.”