Alex Swift Almaraz’s first tattoo reads, “Live hard, die free.” The tattoo reflects a mantra he would later devise, taking inspiration from the words of house dance pioneer Marjory Smarth: “Live true, dance free.” Almaraz, a UCLA alumnus, will share his passion for teaching and performing hip-hop, house dance and Chicago footwork this summer. Read more...

Photo: Alex Swift Almaraz, a UCLA alumnus, learned to dance hip-hop in high school and choreographed dances as part of the UCLA dance department’s senior project. He has taught in prisons and alongside dance companies, and he plans to continue sharing his passion for dance after a trip to Chicago and Amsterdam in an effort to learn more about the specific dance styles he performs. (Niveda Tennety/Daily Bruin)

An anonymous dancing student handed DJ Officer Gavin a note complimenting her performance during her 2018 Dance Marathon set. Gavin said she hopes to frame the unexpected and appreciative note one day. Read more...

Photo: Fourth-year cognitive science student Maddie Gavin, whose stage name is Officer Gavin, performs as a DJ in a sphere dominated by men, she said. Although she doesn’t necessarily want to be labelled a ‘female DJ,’ she recognizes her position in inspiring others like her at UCLA. (Grant Mooney/Daily Bruin)

Members from SEOULA performed and filmed a K-pop dance in tunnels underneath Downtown LA. SEOULA, a UCLA-based dance club open to both UCLA and non-UCLA students, performs K-pop dances and song covers as well as original choreography for its YouTube channel. Read more...

Photo: Students Noela Park, Ginny Lee, Jorge Kcomt and Amy Choi (clockwise from top) perform K-pop choreographies and original dances as members of SEOULA, a UCLA-based dance group. (Quanzhao “Ari” He/Daily Bruin)