“Your right hand is gonna be controlling the hip, and so it’ll go up and down, so 5, 6, 7, 8— da-da-da-tada-da…”
As “Nissan Altima” by Doechii pulses through the Bucksbaum Dance Studio, Kaho Kuroda `28 and Lily Shoemaker `28 lead a group of students through a hip-hop combination, counting out movements over the beat. They count out sharp beats, a mixture of “boom”s and “da-da-da”s floating out with the stomping of their feet and the bass of the music.
According to Kuroda and Shoemaker, the student dance community at Grinnell College is just beginning to flourish, expanding through student-led organizations and workshops. The two founded DanceXchange after recognizing their past experiences in competitive dance and the lack of casual, workshop-based spaces on campus. Kuroda, who comes from a background of competitive hip-hop dancing, and Shoemaker, a contemporary dancer, saw an opportunity to fill that gap.
“We were talking about hip-hop, contemporary or street styles, and how some of them are not really represented in the dance community here, so we started talking about having a platform to practice those styles,” said Kuroda.
Shoemaker added that the goal was to create a space that felt both welcoming and exciting regardless of experience level. “In practice we want to push people to try and learn new choreography that might be difficult for their range, but we definitely try to make sure that everyone is following and everyone’s not behind,” she said. “Trying something new is scary, especially in college. We try to make a safe space for everyone.”
Both co-founders described dance as grounding during college. “Dance is an escape for me. It’s two hours where I can move and be present. During finals, when dance stops, I really feel it,” said Shoemaker.
Kuroda echoed that sentiment, noting that teaching and learning choreography together has helped build connections among members. “Dance is an outlet and a sense of belonging. Even with people you don’t know, learning the same choreography creates unity. I feel that with DanceXchange,” she said.
The club’s weekly practices include learning choreography together, followed by time for members to suggest variations or share personal techniques. According to Shoemaker, this rotating mentorship during rehearsals allows students to step forward and share their own backgrounds. “We want to have other people who have different kinds of talents come teach and share what they know,” she said.
Shoemaker also mentioned wanting to dance competitively again, as well as holding public recitals to showcase dancers in the organization. “We had talked about performing at a basketball game, but the biggest barrier is time,” she said. “We wanted to compete initially, but to get to that point, you have to have an org for like five years.”
DanceXchange isn’t the only group fostering a dance community on campus. Joslyn Lilly `27, president of DanceOrg, said that while students were often nervous upon starting, she emphasized that the dance community at Grinnell is incredibly welcoming to newcomers. “You don’t have to come from a background as a super experienced dancer to participate. I think that captures the spirit of dance and allows people to move freely without feeling constrained,” said Lilly. “People shouldn’t feel worried about coming, because we’re doing it for them. We want newcomers there. That’s the most important thing.”
The organization runs primarily as a series of drop-in classes designed to stay flexible around students’ schedules. Participants can attend sessions that interest them and skip others. Workshops cover a wide range of styles including ballet, contemporary and hip-hop, and are offered at different skill levels from beginner to advanced. Sessions also include styles like clogging and Irish step dancing, as well as themed workshops where students learn choreography from films or music videos to keep the programming varied.
“The most popular was last year when the first “Wicked” movie came out,” Lilly said. “Alyssa, who is the treasurer of DanceOrg, taught a lyrical combination from the movie. It had a good turn out because it was very relevant at the time.”
Lilly, who spent two years at a ballet company before coming to Grinnell, said DanceOrg strives to be open to dancers of all levels. “When I’m teaching, I take the pace based on who shows up. If there are people who have been in class the whole year and can pick up choreography really quickly, we’ll go faster,” she said. “If it’s a group of all newcomers, we take it a lot slower. We cater what we’re doing to who shows up.” While dance currently takes a smaller role in her own schedule, she said she hopes to continue coaching and teaching after graduation.
Both organizations have highlighted several upcoming events planned for later this semester. DanceXchange is organizing additional open workshops that will invite students to learn combinations in multiple styles, including a feminine heel choreography workshop which will be led by Valeriia Kosse `29. The organization meets in the Bucksbaum Dance Studio on Saturdays from 3 to 5 p.m. for formal practices and on Sundays from 4 to 6 p.m. for open studio hours.
DanceOrg will hold biweekly workshops starting on Feb. 7, including a Chinese pop combination, a “Hamilton” combination and a Katseye workshop. Lilly said the goal is to keep events varied so students can explore different genres. “We have some fun ones coming up,” she said.
