“Before I met Jess, I was kind of frustrated about not being able to dance,” said Rony Yin ’21, explaining how she didn’t enjoy freestyle as much as she did Kpop, and didn’t join Trybe as a result. Yin went on to explain her excitement at the discovery during her sophomore year that Jess DiFranco ’22 had founded a Kpop Dance group, KAOS.
DiFranco, current Dance Captain, said of Yin, “She’s always a lot of fun to work with! I can always go to her if I need help with something too!”
Yin talked about KAOS’s journey at Wheaton, about moving from practicing in Watson to finally being able to book studio space. She mentioned that the first event the group ever got to perform at was Lunar New Year, and the second Welcome to Wheaton Day, throughout which the group was still practicing in the basement of the chapel, or Watson. She talked about the current group projects, where the group leads two workshops a week, and the relay they had worked on over the summer, where each member of the group recorded themselves doing a section of the performance.
She talked about the first workshop she attended, where what stood out to her was the friendly atmosphere. “You can really join at any level,” she said. “We’ll find a way to make sure you can participate and have fun,” and how she hopes that the group continues to maintain their inclusive spirit.
Sarah Kennedy ’21, KAOS Treasurer, spoke of Yin’s contribution to the welcoming environment, saying, “Rony often seems uncomplicated, and can certainly make me laugh every time I see her, but don’t think for a second that doesn’t mean she isn’t both intellectually and emotionally intelligent. I rarely see someone who can pick up dance moves so quickly or who can be so patient with me as we try to learn them.”
“I admire her commitment to the club. It’s clear she cares a lot about making sure the club can be the best it can be. Also, she can be quite funny while still being serious when she needs to be. All in all a great person to work with,” agreed Mckenzie Joffrion ’22, KAOS Secretary.