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By Erin Campbell ~ French poet Charles Baudelaire said: “The dance can reveal everything mysterious that is hidden in music, and it has the additional merit of being human and palpable. Dancing is poetry with arms and legs.”
Dance is an essential art form — a means of expression practiced worldwide. And yet restrictions, auditions, or casting can hinder some dancers from sharing this art form with others. What if there was a dance team that didn’t have those barriers? Well, at Penn State, there is! Outcast is a co-ed, hip-hop dance team that allows any Penn State students passionate about dancing to be a part of their organization.
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Outcast has been in motion for 3 years now, and I met up with co-founder, Bianca Angello, to hear all about it.
The origin of Outcast evolved from 6 girls meeting at another dance team tryout but decided they wanted to be part of a dance team that was more expressive and inclusive to others. Along came Outcast!
The president of Outcast is Paula Espinoza, and there are 5 other members, including Bianca Angello, on the executive board.
Outcast specializes in all styles of hip-hop at all levels of experience. The dance team does not have an audition or tryout process. They welcome all students to come to their practices and they choose who will perform the entire dance based on mastery, but everyone is involved in the performance at some point. Their practices are in the White Building on Sundays at 8 p.m., Tuesdays at 9 p.m., and Thursdays at 10 p.m.
Some of the events that Outcast performs at are: THON (Penn State’s 46-hour dance marathon in support of the fight against pediatric cancer), Homecoming, Diwali (an event hosted by the Indian Culture and Language Club), and Deepher Dude (hosted by the sorority Delta Phi Epsilon). Performing at other showcases are still in the works, and their next performance will be November 14th at Deepher Dude.
Outcast is a creative outlet for dancers like Angello to express themselves through a form of art that they enjoy. She likes to think of being a member of Outcast as a chance to combine her passion for hip-hop with her leadership skills. It is commonly known that there is no right or wrong way to dance hip-hop, just as long as you embrace the culture of dancing, which Outcast does well. As a plus, it’s a great way to build friendships and experience events like Homecoming and THON.
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Having a creative outlet on campus, like Outcast, is a great opportunity for Penn State students. With loads of schoolwork at the forefront of our “to-do” lists, taking a break and getting involved in organizations you enjoy is a big part of the social life of college. Outcast is that organization for quite a few people, like Bianca Angello. She said, “[Outcast] helps me forget about school and the daily hassles of life.”
However, they are striving to make Outcast a bigger institution. Angello hopes the dance crew will be more well-known and established on campus in the semesters to come. If you are interested in hip-hop dance, check out Outcast on the 14th and join their next practice!
To hear more about Outcast and information on upcoming performances, check out their Instagram (@psuoutcast ) and Facebook page.