Club Shoutout: En Corps

En Corps is a collection of Lawrenceville’s student-led dance ensembles celebrating various cultures through dance. There are two major adjustments to En Corps starting this school year: First, instead of operating on a termly basis, dance groups will only perform in the Fall and Spring Terms. Second, in order to attract new dancers, auditions will no longer be mandatory for people to join.

Hudson Brown ’26, who will be leading Tour De Force (TDF) in the upcoming school year, describes his team as a “multi-genre group” that puts an emphasis on expressing emotions. “This year, I will try to produce choreography that fuels a more seamless blend between genres,” he elaborated. Growing up, Brown had always considered dance a pastime that brings together a community. “In TDF, we always gossip while we stretch before practice,” he explained, which became a tradition “that transformed the group into a second family.” While Brown noted that he will miss the Winter Dance Series, specifically, the “bonds strengthened [under] stressful conditions,” he is also grateful for the additional time allotted to each performance under the new scheduling.

Kallista Rivera ’26 shares a similar sentiment towards dance. As the leader of Suavé, a group focusing primarily on Latinx dance forms such as Merengue, Salsa, Bachata, Cumbia, and many others, Rivera hopes to further cultivate the vibrant culture of her team. “These past three years, Suavé has been led beautifully by Ally Calderon ’24, so it has been a while since Suavé has had a new leader,” she explained. While Rivera takes note of the challenge, she is “excited to see how [she] can bring [her] own style and culture to Suavé.” In the upcoming year, Rivera will prioritize spreading the “welcoming atmosphere” of Suavé, which stems from the group’s “renowned partner dancing and energetic music.”

A seasoned veteran, this is Harini Venkatesh’s ’25 third year running LKrew, the hip-hop dance team on campus. Commenting on her goals for the year, she mentioned “trying to stay close to [their] roots as a true hip-hop group, while also making it more dancer-driven, giving dancers opportunities to be a part of the choreography.” Venkatesh hopes to create a community where “everyone on the team feels like they’re part of something beyond themselves.” Moreover, she aspires to have her dancers look back at their time in the ensemble as not just having “a fantastic final performance” but also “a journey in which they grew as a dancer and individual.” Ultimately, Venkatesh is “excited to see all the returning dancers and meet the new ones,” hoping to lead the team to even higher successes.

All in all, En Corps groups are no-stakes dance ensembles, in which student leaders passionate about dancing share their love and interest with the community. Joining the movement is not only an opportunity to step out of your comfort zone, but it’s also a chance for you to find a second family.