By Connor Lālea Hampton, Bren Belmonte & Megan Sanders, May 13, 2025
Every few Fridays, squeaking sneakers can be heard against the Bronco Intramural Recreational Complex Studio C floor as students snap and flick to the synchronized style of K-pop idols. Each body twists and turns to catchy, fast-paced music.
Dance is a physical way Cal Poly Pomona students can share and celebrate stories from their cultures. For some, that means traditional performances. For others, it’s something a little less expected: K-pop dance routines.
Civil engineering student Brandon Lam said dancing to K-pop music has helped him get into genres from around the world. The experiences he’s had dancing with Kurrent, the K-pop dance club at CPP, have helped him gain both confidence and grit. He’s even learned a few words in Korean from listening to the music.
Nicky Yap, 22, came to CPP to check out its dance workshops.
“Not only do I appreciate K-pop for connecting me to Korean culture, it’s also really nice to see what cultures it’s inspired from and look into those as well,” Yap said.
K-pop takes inspiration from African American, East Asian and European influences. The genre’s fusion of multiple cultures is what makes it popular.
Marketing student Danna Hernández Rentería said she has learned a little bit about what cultures influence K-Pop from being in Kurrent.
“It was a little intimidating at first because being a Mexican and then going into K-pop, I had the little fear of ‘would I be accepted?’” Hernández Rentería said. “But everyone’s so welcoming and encouraging of learning dances.”
Before getting into K-Pop, hospitality management student Megan Ettinger said she didn’t really know a lot about Korea.
“I learned more about their culture, and it’s not just about the music,” Ettinger said. “It’s them teaching you of their ways and traditions.”
Culture and dance aren’t limited to K-pop on campus.
The Nikkei Student Union Culture Night is an annual event that allows dance clubs to celebrate the history of each club’s styles while also embracing storytelling.
The event focuses on representing Japanese culture, but it also includes performances from multiple dance groups and gives the CPP community a chance to experience a variety of cultures in one night.
The evening includes a student-written play performed by student actors. Dance performances are also integrated into the story as both a presentation of culture and emotional relief.
Inner Essence, a dance club that performed at the event on March 22, is known for traditional hip-hop techniques in their performances.
Annette Gonzalez, the club’s president, said the group represents the full spectrum of hip-hop, including styles like popping, waving and voguing.
“We try to bring back some of that technique because, especially nowadays with hip hop becoming such an entertainment dance style, you can lose it a lot,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez said a lot of thought and intention goes into their performances. It can sometimes be difficult because not everyone is trained in traditional hip-hop technique, but in the end, she said it’s a fun experience, especially when it comes to connecting to the culture of hip-hop.
Dance at CPP also strengthens school culture. Students have an opportunity to connect with each other and build a supportive community.
Ettinger said Kurrent has been able to connect people who have a common love for both K-pop and dancing. The space is important for her because she’s found a part of campus that enjoys the same niche interests.
“It’s like a family dynamic,” Ettinger said. “We’re trying to help each other out and not make it seem like it’s a competition between everyone.”
Ettinger attends Kurrent’s dance workshops, where, together with other members, she learned a short dance over the course of an hour.
Hernández Rentería also attends the workshops. Not just as a dancer, but as someone who records the learning process. She films students as they learn their routine and become confident in it. She said even people who are shy get lots of support.
“Everyone is cheering you on, everyone’s encouraging you to get involved,” Hernández Rentería said.
Kurrent’s sense of community is what makes it more than just a dance club. It’s a place where students can find their own rhythm and get out of their shell.
According to Hernández Rentería, learning dance styles is a creative process. The club encourages members to add their own “swag,” which is another term for personalized movement.
Students get to show off who they are by how they decide to present a move. The more students dance, the easier it becomes to embrace their freedom of expression and individuality.
Lam said he loves the music but also the people at Kurrent.
“I just love all the people here,” Lam said. “I just think it’s great seeing fellow colleagues grow and dance with you and learn a lot along the way with you as well.”
The growth of international listeners for K-pop shows the power cultural music can have on a global audience.
“It’s just music in Korean,” Lam said.
Feature image courtesy of Bren Belmonte
