Despite my lack of coordination, clunky movement, and questionable social skills, I spent this JanTerm hours absorbed in Mr. Allen’s lectures on waltzing and soaked with sweat from moving to the rhythm of Afro-Cuban grooves. Lunchtimes were often taken up by extra choreography practice or quick food runs, while evenings were filled with dance lessons and informal dance parties.

The enthusiasm for dance was contagious. From Mr. Allen’s stories about smooth waltzing to visits to professional dance studios, the class approached each topic with curiosity and energy. Whether we were analyzing the evolution of salsa or learning the basic steps of the hustle, everyone seemed eager to engage more deeply. That curiosity culminated in a final project in which students researched and presented a dance style of their choosing. Harris and I chose hip-hop, and my favorite moment of the presentation was showing up to class in deliberately funky attire while attempting our best version of “The Dougie.”

Dancing was difficult! It would be dishonest for me to say that, after taking this course, I can whip-out a perfect Foxtrot at my next social event. But I can say that I recognize and appreciate the JanTerm’s spirit of passion, liveliness, and unrestrained expression. The jubilant evolution of Swing dancing amidst racial injustice, the world-wide spread of Hip-Hop despite stereotypical linking to gang violence, and even just the revival of Ballroom dancing in a culturally blended United States all indicate an unstoppable energy behind music—a mania so powerful that it moves the soul. 

It is a liveliness that I first encountered with Mr. Allen’s earnest recollections; it is the openness which infected my entire class; and it is the power that modern artists and dancers have even repurposed into activism. Again, I have to reiterate that I am honestly not great at dancing. Yet, somehow, I’ve developed an interest through this JanTerm to keep learning.