From the beginning

I was never very interested in clubs or organizations. Some 6 years ago my roommate at the time convinced me to join JAA. It was OK, we did a lot when it came to the Japanese Festival but little else there aside. So when spring semester of 2005 came around and Seji pitched the idea of a dance side project I figured that could be fun anything to be out of the mindless committees to get things done. After joining those of us that had that first semester had a new respect for dancers and a belief that their was no plausible way to move your body that fast with that type of agility. That was just the first of many dances we would learn over the years I have been involved in the club totaling now around 15. Yosakoi gave me something I have never before experienced. Pride in both a club and a school. I had been involved in both clubs and sports in the past but never have I had such passion about anything as I did with Yosakoi. Through Yosakoi I was involved in Homecoming activities and the parade. If you ever knew me before Yosakoi I would have stayed away from these things like the plague. Now no matter what kind of things are yelled at us be it praise or jeers from people that think we're a weird dancing group I hold my head high and know I'm part of a family. It truly is a family too the wide variety of ages and ethnicities speaks levels to both the forward thinking of the club and its acceptance of all. With such acceptance we have all embraced and loved each other color blind if you will No longer are you too young, too old, Asian, white, black, you are simply part of the Yosakoi family. Yosakoi has taken me places I never anticipated at the beginning. Japan for one I always assumed I would travel, well Yosakoi got me there and how often do we just assume we will get around to something but never do. We have preformed on many large stages in front of thousands of people. Televised to a country and preformed in McCain. As a non K-state student I still revered the acts I saw at McCain the types of play, performers, and lectures they have brought and now I have been a part of that elite group. Yosakoi also truly involved me with the international students of K-state and not just Japanese I have a new outlook on all international students. I can't say that Yosakoi has ever been something to hold me or anyone back it has opened new doors for me and made me a much better person as I am sure it has with many others. If it wasn't for a weird leg pain this semester I would be dancing three times a week still. I hope everyone feels the same as I do that Yosakoi is truly a treasure here at K-state and even more than that on a national level a pride of the US.



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