The ICC Experience from an American Point of View

A very nice essay that Colleen D'Amico wrote:

The definition of an interest is “a pastime that pleasantly occupies one’s time and mind”. Based on this definition, dance, for me, is more than just an interest; it is a passion. Dance has been a part of my life since I was three years old. Over the past fourteen years, it has become more than just an enjoyable fitness routine or social activity but an outlet for my creativity. I have always loved to perform, and dance has always facilitated my aspiration of showcasing and sharing my hard work and talent with an audience. Also, throughout my life there have been situations when words cannot begin to express my emotions, and for moments like those, dance has always been there for me. A few years ago, my diverse dance repertoire included ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, lyrical, and pantomime. Looking back now, I know that my dance background was not the epitome of diversity as I had thought. Although it was varied, it was rather limited. In spite of that, I was soon exposed to a new form of dance that changed my personal perspective forever.

A little over two years ago, I was introduced to remarkable women who welcomed me into their community. This community was the Indonesian Cultural Club of Delaware. Informally known as the ICC, we are a non-denominational organization on a mission to promote Indonesian arts and language. Not only did they teach me a new form of dance but also an entirely new culture I had never been exposed to before. In the very beginning, it was quite a challenge being a new member. I didn’t understand a word of Indonesian or have an inkling of just how challenging and multifaceted traditional Indonesian dance was. In spite of these exigent challenges, I continued to immerse myself in this unfamiliar culture and worked hard to learn the dances. I dedicated every Sunday to attending difficult dance classes, despite the muscular torment that followed for the entire week. Traditional Indonesian dance was proving to be unlike any style of dance I had ever learned. Slowly but surely, my dedication paid off. The unnatural movements and positions in the dances began to feel more natural. I became more accustomed to the unfamiliar beats in the music; I learned some of the language and Indonesian songs, and I was truly learning to appreciate the culture. My favorite part of this life-changing experience will always be that I acquired a whole new group of friends who have become more like the big family I never had, and this reward is far beyond any happiness that I have ever achieved from solely dancing.

My ongoing experience with the Indonesian Cultural Club of Delaware has not only broadened my dance repertoire but has also broadened my personal perspective. In all of my fourteen years of dancing, I have never experienced anything quite as challenging as trying to master the art of traditional Indonesian dance, but I persevered and dedicated all of myself to learning and appreciating the dance along with the culture. This experience proved to me that I was not as diverse as I previously thought, but reflecting upon it, I believe that because of this opportunity, my interests were expanded and I matured and developed not only as a dancer but also as a human being. Diversity is a very important component in a college community, and I believe that I would bring a broadened perspective that would contribute positively to the diversity of Northeastern University.