01/09/2026
When I first joined the dance society at my university at 18, I was not a dancer. It was my first dance class outside of my primary ballet classes as a child and I felt a little bit like a fish out of water. Thankfully there's no footage of my first embarrassing jazz kicks across the floor, but I remember it vividly!
Fast forward to my final year and after accidentally falling in love with kpop (we can all thank BTS' Blood Sweat & Tears) I was president of our kpop society and in charge of teaching their weekly dance classes.
When I moved back to Manchester after graduating, I was severely missing that community aspect in my life. People don't really talk about the void that is post-graduation. Going from living with your friends 24/7, unlimited time and hobbies, and a course you love - to gruelling 8-10 hour days with colleagues you don't like, and a clinical gym setting where everyone wears earphones to drown out the world.
So with only a couple of options (mostly for students) in the city, I decided to start my own class to create a space for other adults where they could enjoy kpop in a non-judgemental environment. There were only 4 people in that first class, it was a quiet one. But good things take time, and I'm so glad I didn't let that dissuade me!
It was a slow start, but now exactly 10 years later, with over 50 cover team members, sold out dance showcases, and the loveliest regulars in our classes. I'm glad I carried on.
From being someone who couldn’t dance, to having a handful of people in that first class, to surviving a pandemic on Zoom, to now creating a proper home for our community, feels a tad crazy.
This started in 2020 with four people in an attic. And now we’re building something so much bigger 🫶
~ Amy
