With a laundry list of awards for the animated hit “KPop Demon Hunters,” KATSEYE songs blowing up online and the long-awaited return of global superstar group BTS, K-pop’s influence is everywhere — even on campus.
KNESIS, NYU’s only K-pop dance group, aims to study and appreciate Korean pop culture. K-pop choreography stands out for its synchronized, high-energy performances and is heavily influenced by hip-hop’s popping and locking and story-driven jazz. The club is known for recreating choreography and videography from popular K-pop groups, earning nearly 500,000 YouTube views for its cover of KATSEYE’s “Debut.”
At the KNESIS Random Play Dance event on March 27 in Washington Square Park, dozens of members, K-pop fans and eager passersby gathered to watch performances. Board members played 30-second snippets of popular songs for the audience, who took turns dancing for the rest of the crowd. The lineup was suggested by the club’s followers on YouTube and Instagram, and included hits like Fifty Fifty’s “Cupid” and “ETA” by NewJeans.
Though attendees were initially wary of jumping into the dance circle, club members’ encouragement helped participants slowly but surely shake off their nerves and show off their moves. Even when the speaker briefly stopped working, dancers kept singing the lyrics well after their 30 seconds were up.
“For us, it’s an open audition,” Stern senior Janet Chang said of KNESIS. “Anyone in NYU can submit their application, and you don’t have to be in the club to be in our covers or come to our classes.”
The group holds weekly classes for all students every Friday from 4-6 p.m. in the Kimmel Center for University Life, and hosts a showcase every semester. KNESIS has also danced off campus, including a gig at Lincoln Center for a K-pop dance night in 2023 and a performance alongside drag queen Plastique Tiara.
Stern first-year and dance instructor Julia Zhu teaches choreography and writes lessons and dance covers to be uploaded to the club’s YouTube channel. Working with KNESIS has helped her connect with other students who, like her, use dance as a creative outlet.
“We all really like the same things — the same group, same music, same dancers,” Zhu said. “It’s just like endless conversations that we can have with each other.”
From filming dance covers in Times Square to collaborating with other cultural clubs on campus, KNESIS members don’t back down from a chance to strut their stuff. Last week’s public event was just one of many festivities that make the group rooted in community, rather than competition — Chang was already a K-pop fan before becoming a part of the club, but was initially hesitant to join because she had thought KNESIS was only a dance group. She has since found her place as a video editor, and now as head videographer.
The club has largely grown in the last few years — some classes reach full capacity at 50 students, with those on the waitlist allowed in on a first-come, first-served basis.
“Having our classes be an open and safe space is super helpful for anyone who is just getting into the genre or wants to learn how to dance,” Chang said. “There’s no judgment.”
Contact Alessa Alluin at [email protected].