Allyson Chan
On Feb. 26, Breaking Club held its first meeting in the dance studio. Every Monday, Breaking Club focuses on breakdancing: an energetic, improvisational form of dance that is typically performed to songs containing drum breaks as commonly seen in music genres like hip-hop and funk.
The idea started from a friendship between the club’s president, junior Evan Hwang, and vice president, sophomore Jeremy Lim.
“I started dancing about seven to eight years ago and at first, it felt like a chore,” Lim said. “Then I really fell in love with it [and] started breakdancing as well. That’s how I met Evan, and we got put in the same class. It was a small class so we got to know each other and became good friends.”
“They really break it down step by step for you, and I saw a lot of people who [haven’t] danced before having a really good time”
This friendship eventually led to a conversation about creating a club for their shared interest.
“We wanted another space we could use and we wanted to share our passion for dance,” Lim said. “Evan messaged me out of the blue and he asked me, ‘what if we started [a] breaking club?’ [and I agreed].”
A typical meeting starts with five to 10 minutes dedicated to eating lunch. Then, one of the officers leads a breakdancing routine, while members follow along to it. Sophomore Katie Yue enjoys this easy-going nature of the club.
“[The officers are] really engaging and obviously very good at dancing,” Yue said. “They really break it down step by step for you, and I saw a lot of people who [haven’t] danced before having a really good time.”
For the short time that Breaking Club has been at Aragon, the officers are well-organized and engaged in bringing new opportunities for their club members. The officers brought in a guest, “Bboy Precise,” who is captain of the Golden State Warriors’ breakdancing team. Known as the Golden State Breakers, the team performs at games.
“We got to learn through a professional instead of a student which was really interesting,” said sophomore and club member Fernanda Aceituno Medrano.
However, when starting the club, the officers ran into issues that could have jeopardized the creation of the club.
“It was hard to find a room for the club and an adviser,” said secretary and junior Nolan Sarmiento. “We were actually very lucky to get the dance room. It’s not a room that is usually available during lunch.”
Despite the officers’ varying experiences with dance, most agree that the club is running well.
“Jeremy and Evan [are] more breakdancers [than I am],” said treasurer and junior Ashley Wong. “I do have some difficulties breakdancing … but I [dance outside of school] as a hobby, and I have fun in the club.”
Many students joined the club given their interest in dance. The officers strive to create a place where everyone can breakdance, regardless of their skill level. The casual environment of the club encourages students to try something new without feeling embarrassed.
“[Once] I was trying this new dance [and] I slipped and fell on my face, but we were all giggling together”
“The funniest part is seeing new dancers like me mess up and then learn through those mistakes,” Aceituno Medrano said. “[Once] I was trying this new dance [and] I slipped and fell on my face, but we were all giggling together.”
The club has also become a place for staff to engage with students. Breaking Club adviser Yan Fang enjoys connecting with her students outside of the classroom.
“Because I am only working part time here, being the adviser allows me to know more about the Aragon experience,” Fang said. “These are opportunities for me to get to know more students and stay connected [with them].”
Many of the members have enjoyed the experience of coming to the club, encouraging them to return to the club regularly.
“The club experience is really encouraging because it’s really upbeat and fun,” Yue said. “It’s not only for advanced people too, the club [officers] are really good [at emphasizing that]. I’m definitely going to keep coming back because it’s a good club.”
Lim hopes that Breaking Club can branch out outside of Aragon.
“I definitely want to get us into a breaking competition,” Lim said. “It might be a big event, but it’s something that I want to do. It would [also] be really cool [to perform] at the dance showcase at school.”
The relaxed atmosphere of Breaking Club can allow dancers of all skill levels to grow and learn from each other and the club hopes to expand with competitions and inviting more guest speakers.
