Katherine Gwydir ’18 had been dancing for 15 years before college but never considered attending a conservatory. She had too many other interests. “And that's where Hamilton's liberal-arts base and open curriculum is so important. This is a place that supports all of your passions,” Gwydir says.
She wasn’t wedded to dance as a major when she entered Hamilton but realized her second year that it was the way to go. But not the only way. She also majors in literature. Gwydir is dancing a lot. There are the spring and fall shows, she’s a member of the hip-hop crew Heat, serves co-president of the Student Dance Alliance and will soon become captain of the College Dance Team.
For the first time she’s studying the academic side of dance.
“Based on the theory and history of movement I'm exposed to in classes, I've learned to approach pieces differently. I'm more aware of the story and the message behind the entertainment. And I'll step back from projects and ask, ‘Who inspired this, what risks did I take, how did this push me as an artist and a technical dancer?’ As a student, that inner discussion and growth is really fulfilling,” she says.
