What do dreaded final papers, exams and classes have in common? College students experiencing a little a taste of desserts spelled backwards: stressed.
It is the bittersweet taste of the seventh week of classes, when students are stressing to get everything done, looking forward to summer and trying to find ways to relax.
Last week in the Rike Center, the Campus Programming Board (CPB) and Otterbein's homecoming king, Sean Peters, gave students an opportunity to relieve some stress by teaching them how to strut their hips to the rhythmic sounds of some hip-hop beats.
"It was a great way to relieve some stress, exercise and have fun at the same time," said Alanna McKinley, a senior broadcasting major and dance minor.
CPB contacted Sean Peters and asked him to teach a hip-hop dance class this quarter because they hosted two classes last fall which proved to be a complete success, according to Peters.
"Hip-hop is continually growing," said Peters. "It is not a technique, it is purely a style. What is great is that your style is never wrong, only unique.... I'm looking forward to seeing where it is headed." Nowadays, hip-hop has transgressed the cultural boundaries of inner-city New York and has spread nationwide, thereby becoming one of the most popular forms of freedom of expression through its free-flowing lyrics and dance style. Peters has embraced the hip-hop culture by teaching the popular style at a dance studio in Dublin for the past four years and has taught master hip-hop classes at Otterbein since he was a freshman. Now a senior, Peters is going to teach his last master hip-hop class Monday of week 10. "It's always nice to have people who are not in the dance department take this class," said Peters. "People take the class seriously and work crazy at the dances." Besides, "It's great to have people leave tired, sweating and feeling like they just danced their heart out," said Peters. "Plus, people have fun. I always tell people that they don't need to be a great dancer or get the combination perfectly. So long as they have fun I have done my job." McKinley also mentioned that she likes Sean's choreography and the fact that she is able to express herself through dancing. "Everyone has their own personal reasons for dancing," said Peters. "They do it for exercise, because they have fun with it, or for most dancers it is a release or an escape from everyday life. I dance because it makes me happy. I go out and give it everything I have and walk away feeling great." Now that's what you call freedom of expression at its finest. A little hip-hop mixed in with some fun and a great way to burn the carb-loaded chicken patties and french fries offered at the Cardinal's Nest. t&c;
