Stepping through time: Celebrating dance and community at Yale-NUS
Four Yale-NUS students share how their involvement in some of the College’s longest-running dance groups have shaped their college experiences.
Yale-NUS College is home to a dynamic dance culture, offering students a space to explore and express themselves through a variety of genres. Several dance groups have been established in the College for nearly a decade, such as Jazz Funk, BollyBhangra and Ballroom Dancing, and have shaped both the students’ experiences and their personal journeys. We interviewed four students to share their experiences in these groups, where they have been involved in almost their entire time at the College.
Tan Kai Xuan (Class of 2025) has been part of the Society of Yale-NUS Dancers (sYNCd), participating in its Contemporary, Hip Hop, and Jazz Funk groups. Founded by the first batch of Yale-NUS students, sYNCd is an umbrella organisation that unites eight dance genres. For Kai Xuan, sYNCd has been a space to explore a range of dance genres. She said, “It’s such a safe space for many to learn more about dance. I think my role here will be to support the team and do my best to provide them with a platform to showcase their talents!”
One of their most meaningful experiences has been participating in the sYNCd annual showcase where more than 80 dancers and the different offices in the College come together to put up a production that is a culmination of their hard work. For Kai Xuan, the showcase season is not just about performing — it is also about witnessing the growth of her fellow dancers.
Pari Sen Biswas (Class of 2025) discovered her passion for BollyBhangra, a dance style that combines vibrant Bollywood and traditional Bhangra, when she joined the group in her first year. “I joined because my friend wanted to try it out but didn’t want to go alone — I had no idea that I would love it so much,” she explained. Since then, BollyBhangra has grown, welcoming new members each semester, many of whom are first-time dancers of the South Asian dance styles but have embraced the style over time. One of Pari’s proudest moments was their sYNCd showcase performance in Academic Year 2022/2023, where the group performed one of its longest and most challenging pieces. For Pari, the group became more than just a dance team, “BollyBhangra has truly become a family-like space. Especially in my second year, when I was the in-charge, the group became my pillar of support — we cherish all of our members and work hard to maintain close bonds in and out of the studio.”
Annyaa Patodia (Class of 2025) joined BollyBhangra in her second year, wanting to try something new, and found it to be a meaningful part of her College experience. “I never could have predicted that it would have such a lasting impact on me,” she said. She also highlighted the sense of togetherness that develops through performances such as the Deepavali showcase by the Yale-NUS South Asian Society (YNDUS), a student organisation that aims to promote and celebrate the South Asian culture in campus. “Spending so much time together before the showcase really made the team feel like family.” Annyaa is also proud that the dance group has continued to thrive and adapt throughout the College’s evolution.
Lum Wan Tong (Class of 2025) started Ballroom Dancing in her first year, drawn to the familiar yet challenging style of partner dance. “It challenged me to learn how to use my body language as an instrument of communication. Given that our dances are usually learnt through partner work, our emphasis on consent and communication has allowed us to learn how to navigate physical proximity in a healthy and respectful way,” she shared. Wan Tong highlighted the group’s innovation such as incorporating other dance styles like Hip Hop into their performances to introducing audience interaction formats. “We value the creative agency of our members and seek to empower everyone to bring joy and life to their performances.” Ballroom has also made significant strides toward inclusivity, actively pushing for roles beyond the gender binary. “We use terms like ‘leader’ and ‘follower’ instead of ‘gentleman’ and ‘lady,'” Wan Tong explained.
Through the long-standing traditions of the dance groups and experiences of these four students, each group offers valuable and unique lessons and skills, reflecting how Yale-NUS supports creativity, inclusivity, and community-building within the student body.
