Dance Spotlight: OutKast and Precision

OutKast members pose on the stairs in front of Phillips Hall.

Joy Chi / The Exonian

Precision members perform at Assembly.

Solei Silva-Carin / The Exonian

By Teddy Capozzi and Erin Han

OutKast and Precision, the two step dance teams on campus, never fail to put on electrifying, captivating performances, whether at E/A pep rallies, end-of-term dance showcases, or this year’s Black History Month assembly. 

Behind these performances are hours of rehearsal as a team. “We spend two hours every week on Sundays stepping,” Precision co-head Eliana Hall said. “It does sound like a very long time, but that time goes by really fast when you’re around people who enjoy it [and] are having fun.”

Upper and Precision co-head Solei Silva-Carin also talked about why she enjoys stepping. “I really enjoy the group, everyone is super sweet. The act of learning steps is also super cool because it takes a lot of effort to synchronize our movements and to learn steps in general. Everyone is a pretty fast learner, which is nice.” 

Silva-Carin also touched on why she decided to become co-head of the club. “I wanted to learn how to make my own steps and to take on a larger role in the group. I also wanted to add my own style to Precision and work with other people to continue to bring more flare to our steps,” she said. 

The two groups often collaborate; for example, when they performed at the Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Day keynote. Recently, they took part in a spontaneous dance-off performance skit for the Black History Month Assembly. “One of the OutKast co-heads reached out, saying we’re planning on doing a video for the Black History Month assembly [and] we would have to do some sort of battle, like answering a question first and then turning [it] into some sort of argument between the two groups,” Hall said.

“So we went along with the process,” Hall continued. “I think OutKast really had the vision for it, and we added on to it with our own kind of creativity.”

Members of both groups expressed a lot of love for their clubs. Prep Kyle Kennedy’s, a member of OutKast, said, “My favorite part [of rehearsals] is when we finally get a step program correct. Then we can finally get it on beat and everything works well together. It just sounds so nice and it’s just really pleasing to be a part of that.” 

Kennedy’s also spoke about his discovery of step since joining the group this year. “Before Exeter, I hadn’t really known what step was, but now that I’ve come here, I’ve really found an interest in it. I’d never been a part of any dance teams beforehand, so step was very new to me, but it’s probably one of the most fun things I’m able to do now. I didn’t really know much about it before, but I’m glad I joined the team.”

Prep Collin Moore, also a new member of OutKast, commented on his relationship with step. “Step and dance have always been a part of my life. Stepping is deeply rooted in African American culture. For me, to be able to continue that art form has been important.” 

“It’s also a way for me to express myself in a fun and creative atmosphere,” Moore continued. “Step is not like traditional dance. It’s different. It’s fun. It’s flashy.”

Moore commented on how much of OutKast and Precision’s recent success can be attributed to the community they’ve built. “Something about OutKast I love is the brotherhood. It’s not a huge club, it’s not a huge team. That gives us the opportunity to grow strong relationships with each other.” 

During prep year, senior and current co-head Reggie Harris was anxious to perform but quickly saw how bright the prospective future was for OutKast. “When I initially tried out prep year, I was scared I was going to embarrass myself. So I decided to opt out, but after I saw them perform at the pep rally with just three people I realized OutKast wasn’t just about dancing, it was about building community and paying homage to our culture, concepts that transcend any stage fright I might have had.”

Outkast co-head Riches Afolabi has been manifesting this culture since joining the group as a new prep and becoming a co-head the following year. “Many people don’t know this, but in my lower year, when I became co-head of OutKast, we had only three members,” Afolabi said. 

As Afolabi recruited more members during his upper fall, he saw the group blossom and grow to its full potential. By the spring term, OutKast accrued ten members and was able to perform at the spring dance showcase. “We practiced tirelessly and put on a show-stopping performance,” Afolabi said. “It’s only been up since that showcase. My favorite part about OutKast is that it is more than a club. OutKast is a brotherhood.”