‘Dance checks every box’

It’s Nov. 15 and the Philadelphia School District is out of session. For many students, it’s a day off, a chance to relax. For a select group of West Philadelphia students, it was the chance to take part in a daylong dance clinic and perform with the Quaker Girls Dance Team, an audition-only Penn club founded in 2005 that performs at Penn Basketball and Penn Football games during halftime, in addition to an annual performance for the Philadelphia 76ers.

The clinic is just part of the dance team’s engagement with the students, says Lauren Van, a second-year student from Irvine, California, majoring in chemical engineering. In the spring semester, Van took a course on urban university-community relations with Netter Center for Community Partnerships director Ira Harkavy and in a 75-page paper outlined a proposed expansion of the partnership between the Quaker Girls and university-assisted community schools.

As part of the Nov. 15 clinic, the Quaker Girls Dance Team worked with 42 students aged 5 to 18 from Henry C. Lea, Benjamin B. Comegys, Andrew Hamilton, and Paul Robeson High School—all of which have comprehensive university-assisted community school programming offered through the Netter Center. The dance squad also has an ongoing commitment to mentor the Robeson cheer team on Fridays after school. It’s the expectation that every member of the Quaker Girl Dance Team will participate at least twice per semester, Van says.

“Stuff like this shows that we’re investing energy,” says Kendall Allen of St. Louis, Missouri, a fourth-year data and network science communication major, who notes that the club is entirely self-run and self-funded. The dance team is pursuing official recognition through Penn Athletics and the level of commitment, talent, and engagement has exponentially increased over the years, says Allen, who serves as the team’s senior captain. “It’s the number one commitment for a lot of us.” 

“Events like this are an exciting complement to the ongoing work we do with sports, fitness, and health at University-assisted community schools,” says Sara Kelly, the Netter Center’s director of sports, fitness, and health. “Through Young Quakers Community Athletics, we offer before-school, school-day, and after-school support for our schools, and special events like this one are one way to showcase the depth of the relationships our Penn students have with our West Philadelphia students.” Plus, performing on the floor of the Palestra will be a lifelong memory for the kids.”

Two hours into the clinic, Van is still smiling, her lipstick as red as the word “PENN” on her sequined uniform. The students are learning a new routine to “Levitating” by Dua Lipa, lined up in rows behind the Quaker Girls.

“‘Levitating’ is when you’re going to be doing your pose,” Van says, demonstrating. “So one, two three, ‘I’m levitating.’”

The smallest girls can’t weigh much more than 50 pounds, forming a dedicated row in the front, edges pressed and faces concentrating.

“I felt good when dancing,” says Eva Caiso of Comegys, age 9. “I like moving the pompoms.”

The girls are talking about throwing off roundoff back handsprings for their moment in the spotlight. “They have no fear,” one student says.

Comegys student Khaleemah Bynum, age 13, doesn’t fall in that camp. “I do nothing that involves getting off the ground,” she says. “Just a little jump. That’s it. I choose the ground.”

At 4:30 p.m., it’s tip-off and the students are in their seats behind the basket, pompoms ready to go. After cheering for the players, the students take the stage, performing to “Levitating,” with spectators now cheering for them.

“Performance is a great experience,” says Sabrina Vargas, a master’s student in the School of Social Policy & Practice, who hopes to incorporate the arts in a future career in social work.

The partnership is a way to get young students involved in both art and sports, Van says. “Dance checks every box.”