Kanye West. Tupac. Eazy-E. Kendrick Lamar. It’s almost certain that most of you have heard of these artists before, but have you ever thought about what they have in common? They are not only a group of talented artists who sing hip-hop, but they proudly contain the roots that started the Hip-Hop Era.
Imagine being able to work for one of these artists!? Well, Dr. Hannah Park, curator of the Iona Dance Symposium, let Iona students learn from someone who was a backup dancer for Kanye West: Shawn Rawls.
Shawn Rawls began his dancing career at the age of twelve, where he quickly learned that dance was all about individuality and the comfort of being in your own body. This was something he hoped Iona students would learn by the end of his hip-hop class.
As students walked into Murphy Auditorium, they quickly got comfortable sitting in the back, expecting a lecture of some sort. They were in shock when Professor Markus asked them to get on the empty, lifeless stage.
Professor Andrea Markus is new to Iona University where she teaches Intro to World Dance Forms. As someone who loved dance but was told to let it go, she pursued her bachelor’s in biology. Her love of dance, however, overpowered any and all future ideas of working in the medical profession, thus causing her to celebrate her completion of college by pursuing a job that involved dance. Like people say, “If they’re meant to be together, they will be together.”
Professor Markus was meant to be with dance, not only because she enjoyed it, but because she noticed how there’s a disconnection happening between the mind and body within teaching and learning. Markus described the following experience:
“Generally speaking, a cut off from your body and mind when learning something. This, typically, causes things to go wrong. I want everyone to promote embodiment learning, where everyone gets the chance to not only exercise the mind, but to engage the lesson with your body at the same time. Some, or any type of movement is, I feel, important within students of all ages, which is also why I decided to be a dance teacher. Highlighting the significance of embodiment learning enriches the experience of absorbing what is being taught.”
Having brought her class to Dr. Hannah Park’s Symposium allowed students to feel what she believed in.
In the beginning, students looked like they were freaking out about the dance moves Shawn was showing them. Like Shawn said, “They freaked out before even trying it.” Not only did it seem like they were freaking out, but they were also shy, which is understandable because this might have been the first time for everyone to dance around classmates they might not even have talked to.
Having noticed this, Shawn asked them to close their eyes and dance without looking at anyone. This technique helped students to try and find their rhythm without shame, which ultimately worked. After having Shawn break down the dance for them, reminding them that “they’re Gucci” and reattempting each move multiple times, students, Dr. Hannah and Professor Markus got the hang of it.
By the end of it all, they were able to officially say “I know how to dance hip-hop. Put ‘Lovin on Me’ by Jack Harlow and I will show you my moves.”
Iona’s annual Dance Symposium, which celebrates dances in different pop cultures, not only hip-hop, ultimately lets students and faculty have a little break from the academic part of college Occasionally, students get stuck in their head worrying about grades and the future.
It’s important to have an outlet from all the stress and worries about school. Sometimes you literally do have to dance it out as it provides some sense of relief, distraction and enjoyment in your everyday life. This was strongly noted when comparing the student’s facial expressions when they first walked inside Murphy Auditorium, to their facial expression by the end of the class. Their smiles at the end of the class filled the empty, lifeless stage that was there in the beginning.
