Brian Hsia (President)
Brian Hsia, also known as Bboy Abrasian, started dancing sophomore year of high school in Windsor, Connecticut. Starting with breaking, he slowly branched out into hip hop as well. He was President of the breaking group back in high school during senior year, dancing for hours on end and performing for several school events. Breaking has been a stress-reliever, a way to make best friends, and something to look forward to everyday. With the rigors that work and premed studies create, Bboy Abrasian survives life at Penn with dance and Hype.
Kiara Davis (Vice President)
Kiara was a dedicated member of her dance team at her high school in Chicago. Despite her lack of previous formal training, her passion for dance grew motivating her to take modern, hip-hop, and jazz dance classes, and combine the styles to choreograph an original piece for her senior May Project. Kiara joined Hype not only because she loves the diversity of dance styles it showcases, but also because she wanted to challenge herself as a dancer. Until she graduates in 2014, Kiara knows that dance will continue to have a special place in her life. Kiara thanks her beloved friend and former
dance team member, Faith Dremmer (1992-2010), for inspiring her to dance each and every day.
Sarah Appeadu (Secretary)
Sarah first started becoming interested in dance in middle school when she tried out for her school's step team and made it. Continuing on to her high school step and dance team for all 4 years, dance became an even bigger part of her life. Music videos and her favorite TV shows- So You Think You Can Dance and America's Best Dance Crew- continue to be integral in inspiring her. She loves watching and performing many different styles including hip-hop, b-boying, contemporary, ballet, and latin, even though she has never had formal dance training. Penn Hype is the perfect way for her to have fun while doing something she loves with amazing dancers.
Franklin Jeng (Dance Coordinator)
Franklin Jeng first became interested in dance in the 8th grade. However, it wasn't until sophomore year that he started taking dance seriously. Although he began with breaking, Franklin found himself falling in love with all kinds of dance. He developed a particular passion for hip hop and danced in his school's dance shows sophomore through senior year. He even took up Latin dancing for a short while. Dance has been and will always be a big part of Franklin's life. He hopes to branch out more and learn many other different styles of dance while continuing to express himself.
Brittany Dickens (Internal and External Relations Chair)
Born and raised in NYC, Brittany has been exposed to a range of dance styles, from underground breakdancing to ballet performances in John Jay college. Brittany discovered her interest in dance when she was a little girl, dancing ballet, tap, and West African in The Dance Theater of Harlem. Although, she stopped dance to focus on high-school, she never lost her passion. Her favorite dance styles are hip-hop and belly-dancing-a recent discovery. This girl hopes to add a bit of her own flavor to the PennHYPE crew. :)
Alex Yoo (Co-Show Chair)
Alex Yoo never expected to become a dancer growing up. In middle school, he enjoyed watching bboys on YouTube but never thought about trying it out himself. However, he joined his school's bboy team called Enthalpy in his junior year because of a friend. Before he knew it, he started experimenting with other dance styles such as broadway, contemporary, and hip-hop. During his senior year, he became one of the captains of Enthalpy and choreographed a six minute act for the bboy team to perform at his school's Asian Culture Festival. He also created a spin-off group called Entropy and performed at his school's end-of-the-year talent show. Although he doesn't know what he wants to major in while he's at the University of Pennsylvania, Alex will keep dancing as an integral part of his life.
Nanette Nunu (Co-Public Relations chairs)
Nanette Nunu has been dancing for about 10 years, taking classes in a variety of styles including Hip hop, jazz, ballet, lyrical and tap. She belonged to a hip hop competition team that really instilled in her the fine art of performance and hard work. She enjoys a variety of musical styles as long as she can move her body to them. She joined Hype in efforts to regain the family feel that she had in her younger years as a studio dancer and she knows Hype will be the perfect way to relieve the stress of the Wharton curriculum.
Amanda Langhorne (Co-Public Relations chairs)
Straight from Buffalo, NY is a proud Hype Newbie, Amanda Langhorne. A Wharton sophomore, completing a dual concentration in Marketing and Communications with a minor in Psychology, definitely needed a relief system from the stress- and there was Hype. Dance has always had a special place in her heart. She has experience in many forms of dance including tap, jazz, hip hop, cheer dance, and african dance. She hopes to take these skills and put them to work with her new Hype family :)
General Members
Carina Zhang
Born and raised in Massachusetts, Carina Zhang had always been a competitive swimmer since she was five and loved watching great dancers on shows like So You Think You Can Dance. However, she never imagined that she would actually become a dancer. The summer before her high school junior year, she was introduced to K-pop and she realized that there was something out there that she loved more than swimming--dance. With school work and 30 hours a week of swimming, she found a little time to self-teach choreography from YouTube. And finally, after a year-long decision, she chose to stop swimming in order to develop in what she truly loved. Now, being able to perform with such an amazing family of dancers is confirmation that she made the right choice, and she's super excited to be able to dance alongside them!
Scarlett Luis
Scarlett Luis, (AKA Red, emphasis on the ed~), a freshman in SEAS. ^-^
Scarlett is Nicaraguan-Chinese and was born in Miami; she brings that Hispanic swag to Hype (Dale~ Ya tu sabes). Although she does not have any professional dance experience, Scarlett improves her dance skills by watching choreos on Youtube or freestyling in the comfort of her room. Coming from a community rich with Latin cultu re, Scarlett hopes to incorporate what she knows about salsa, merengue, and bachata to the repertoire of dance styles that already exists in Hype. Aside from Latin dance styles, Scarlett is very interested in dancehall, soca, and breakdancing. She hopes to, one day, six-step into a dutty wine. ;D Joining a dance crew has always been one Scarlett’s dream but she realized that Hype is not just a dance crew; it’s a family and she is beyond happy to be a part of it.
Jeffrey Cho
Jeffrey Cho started dancing his junior year in high school after years of watching youtube videos, SYTYCD, ABDC, and movies like You Got Served, Stop the Yard, and Step Up, . He initially started with breaking, spending hours upside down in handstand position, but later decided to branch out to other styles that required less……flexibility. Aside from learning the choreography to a few Kpop songs, Jeff mainly freestyled throughout high school. His first attempt at joining a dance group left him stranded as the day after he joined his high school step team, all the members were suspended from school and it disbanded. Since then, Jeff’s been looking for a family to dance with and it’s safe to say that’s he’s finally found it in Hype.
Seika Nagao
Seika Nagao has been dancing from when she was three, but she didn't enjoy the elephant costume too much and left the ballet scene after awhile. However, in middle school she discovered her love for fun, sassy jazz moves, and has been dancing since then. Later, she became an active member of her high school's modern dance group. Recently, Seika has been captivated by Kpop( especially Big Bang) and even choreographed a Kpop mashup her senior spring with friends for fun. She can't wait to continue dancing at Penn and hopes she can sprinkle in some of her own style in Hype.
Jesse Ellingworth
Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, dance reminds Jesse of his family. Jesse’s passion for hip-hop originated from seeing his older sister dance and perform to hip-hop music. Honing his skills within the confines of his room and Youtube, Jesse has grown to love different styles of hip-hop and is excited to explore them with Hype.
Jason Chong
I started with breakdancing in middle school because all my friends were doing it, but I eventually came to the depressing realization that I sucked at it. In 8th grade, I picked up the arm wave somehow and a friend told me that it looked pretty good. I wanted to find out more about waving, but since I lived in Delaware, there were no dancers in the area that I could learn from. Thankfully, Youtube came out around this time so I was able to watch and learn from videos. Instead of doing homework, I spent countless hours in front of the mirror copying move after move. And here I am today, 11 years later, still doing the same thing…
Hao Hou
Mr. Hou started his dance training at Eisenhower High School in Rialto, CA. He has been trained in Classical Ballet, Pas de Duex, Jazz, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, and Modern for more than 14 years. He has trained with well renowned instructors and choreographers in the dance industry from New York City to Los Angeles, such as Doug Caldwell, Benji Schwimmer, Dante Burks, Shane Sparks, and Mia Michaels.In 2002, he became a member of “Kalvin Latimer Dance Company” (Contemporary & Hip-Hop) in Rancho Cucamonga, Ca & “Backstreet Performing Arts Company” (Contemporary) in Riverside, CA. Hao was also the co-owned the Kalvin Latimer Dance Academy, for 7 years, providing dance instruction and management duties. In 2007, he moved to Minneapolis, MN and joined “Soul to Sole Dance Conversion Dance Company” (Jazz & Hip-Hop). Hao was also featured in season 6 “So You Think You Can Dance”.
Adisa Williams
Adisa "Didas" Williams first knew she wanted to dance at age 10. She found herself dancing in the living room to (then) Lil Bow Wow's "Take Ya Home" and 'movin' so fast across the floor' that she was convinced she wanted to grow up and be in a dance film. (Back then it was Jessica Alba in 'Honey'). After being forgotten for a while and replaced with other performing arts (drama, speech, voice), her love for dance was rekindled in her Jamaican high school being surrounded by lots of modern and Dancehall. She would then go on to take classes at the Edna Manley School of Performing Arts, Harvard Ballroom, with Doug Varone & Dancers and at Broadway Dance Center. Having been exposed to everything from African to Ballet, 'Didas' began to merge her love for dance with her love for performing last year in Brown University's Latin Dance Troupe 'Mezcla's annual show. Now, she's inspired to learn all she can, get more technical training and get out into the dance world after graduation as a choreographer.
Divij Damodhar (Business Manager)
Divij started dancing in the 10th grade and has been interested in hip-hop ever since. Lacking any professional training, he started out picking up steps from various dance videos. That was followed by taking part in inter-school dance events during high school. Dancing with Hype is just what Divij needs to get away from the intense workload of being an engineering major
Sarah Jeng
"Dance to express, not to impress."
Sarah Jeng, a freshman in Wharton, from northern New Jersey, doesn't know when she discovered her love for dancing; she only recalls her frequent one person dance parties in her room and basement, dating as far back as she can remember. She hasn't practiced or perfected any styles of dance but loves experimenting with her freestyle. Sarah participated in traditional Asian dance for years and recently gained experience in hip-hop dance from Defined Movement, the junior team of the Bergenfield-based Project D. Her season with them solidified her enthusiasm for dance and she can't wait to start dancing with Hype this year!
April Wu
April is a freshman in Nursing and comes from a small town in Los Angeles. Though she always had rhythm, her real interest in dance probably began in middle school, when she realized how fun it was to do the Cha Cha Slide at her best friend's bat mitzvah. Since then, her love for the Cha Cha Slide has weaned, but her love for dancing to upbeat music is still strong. Although April has not had any official experiences with dance, she isn't afraid to free-style to her favorite tunes in her room and break it downnnnnnn to Ne-Yo. At the moment, April is most familiar with hip-hop and modern dance, but she is ready to broaden her interests and experiment with new dance styles. April is eager to finally express her love for dance in front of audiences and can't wait to perform with all these talented dancers!
Shray Kapoor
A freshman in Wharton, Shray started dancing in middle school out of pure fun. After some learning from Youtube and realizing how much he loved dance, he began to dance in high school and started performing some of his personal choreography at events his junior and senior years. After joining Hype, Shray finally found a way to structure his love for dance and is hoping to take his dance and creative expression to the next level.
Amanda Langhorne
Straight from Buffalo, NY is a proud Hype Newbie, Amanda Langhorne. A Wharton sophomore, completing a dual concentration in Marketing and Communications with a minor in Psychology, definitely needed a relief system from the stress- and there was Hype. Dance has always had a special place in her heart. She has experience in many forms of dance including tap, jazz, hip hop, cheer dance, and african dance. She hopes to take these skills and put them to work with her new Hype family :)
Alex Guo
He is tough to find. You'll be lucky if you even catch a glance of him on Locust Walk. Fact of the matter is, if Alex isn't eating or sleeping, he's workin' it out in the dance studio. For him, practice is a ritual, the best part of his day. When he's rockin' to the music, there's no other thing he'd rather be doing. Alex is kind of a nuthead too. They call him "Rips" because he's had a history of lower-body wardrobe malfunctions during performance. Keep your eyes peeled!
