I have just finished my freshman year, but whenever someone asks me about my favorite class at Swarthmore, I always say DANC 049K: Hip-Hop Repertory/Ensemble, which Professor Kyle Clark taught. I initially decided to take the course solely to fulfill my P.E. credit, though I have to admit that a sense of fear and nervousness accompanied my enrollment. I took hip-hop as my first ever dance class at Swarthmore, and I decided to challenge myself with a course that performed on the big stage in my first year.

The took the course at the Troy Dance Lab, one of the dance studio spaces at the Lang Performing Arts Center–home to the Dance, Theater, and English departments. The class was full, and to my surprise, the majority of the students there did not come from a specific dance background or have prior dance knowledge. As I made friends with the people in my class, I learned about their fields of study: Math, Political Science, Educational Studies, Sociology, Computer Science, and more. Whether they took the course for the same reason as me or just out of curiosity, I began to gain a sense of just how liberating this Swarthmore course could be. 

I was certainly challenged by the class. We all came from different departments, skillsets, and backgrounds, and finding the balance between our movements and capabilities pushed us. While I had a background in hip-hop and performing, the fast-paced choreography challenged me, as did the teamwork I needed to maintain in sync with my peers while dancing. 

Professor Kyle, however, remained enthusiastic and hopeful. In his own style, he ended each class with some kind of anecdote to keep us going for the rest of our time in the course. His words motivated us: “When you dedicate time to master yourself, that is when you get to know yourself.” He spoke not only from a dance standpoint, but also about the ways in which we carry ourselves outside the classroom, outside the campus, and everywhere we go. Our piece itself conveyed a significant and purposeful message that reflected on the current situation of the world, teaching me not only about movement, but also about the  discourses of society.

I might not have been a declared dance major or a dance expert, but my classmates and my educator allowed me to reach my fullest potential. By the time of the Fall Dance Concert, amidst all of the nervousness and stress from the upcoming finals week, I learned to let go of my worries on the stage. While applying my professor’s critiques, lessons, and choreography, I also wore a genuine smile–thankful for the opportunity to perform with the diverse individuals who make up Swarthmore. By the end of the semester, I had gained new-found friendships, the desire to take more dance courses at Swat the next semester (I am in Hip-Hop Repertory again next fall!), and a greater zeal for my wellbeing.