Expressions ‘The X Factor’: An Energetic Hip-Hop Showcase

Body Rolls. A performance by the Harvard Whistler’s Society. Nicki Minaj. A laughing skit and hip-hop routine to 21 Savage x Metro Boomin’s “Runnin.” What do these seemingly unrelated qualities have in common? All were features of Harvard’s Expressions’ Spring 2023 Showcase: “The X Factor.”

The Harvard Expressions Dance Company is a fully student-operated hip-hop dance group that’s been on campus for over forty years. Each semester, the organization hosts a dance showcase featuring over a dozen dances all choreographed and performed by undergraduates at the College. With two emcees, this year’s showcase also featured performances from the Harvard Whistler’s Society as well as the Harvard Lowkeys. Collectively, the showcase serves attitude and hip-hop moves to some of the top rap and hip-hop hits.

Aditi Kona ’26 shared her reasons for attending the showcase this semester.

“So I went first semester for the first one to support a friend but I think that it’s a really niche, very cool part of Harvard like dance, art, and media, and something that I’m not exposed to a lot so I want to get more into it,” Kona said.

As Expressions is one of the most prominent performing art groups at Harvard, Kona also spoke about the arts scene at Harvard.

“I think Harvard puts a lot of money into STEM, Econ, and Gov and maybe not as much attention into dance and they do not pub it as much although they definitely should,” said Kona.

The hip-hop group is open to students of all years and experience levels. Layla Chaaraoui ’26 who joined Expressions in her freshman fall spoke about her experience in the dance company.

“I have been dancing since I was seven years old and hip-hop has always been my favorite style of dance so Harvard Expressions was something I actually seeked out before I came to Harvard,” said Chaaraoui. “I was looking for different hip-hop groups and companies and Expressions came up. And I absolutely loved what they did, loved their style, and I loved their vibe. I absolutely knew this was something I wanted to be a part of so I joined it last semester and loved it and I did it again this semester and loved it again.”

Chaaraoui also shared the communal passion for hip-hop she continuously feels amongst Expressions members.

“I think it’s a great community and I just love getting to dance. Hip-hop is my favorite style so I love being able to dance with so many other people also passionate about it. And I love that they accept all levels and backgrounds. So, it is just a really fun group to be a part of and it has really helped me find my space here,” Chaaraoui said.

The Expressions dances are fully choreographed by students. May Jung ’25 started with the company last year and is now a Direx, an executive board position of the company who organizes and leads company productions. This year, she led the NewRex dance, allowing incoming dancers with less experience to perform in the showcase.

“We oversee the entire performance and the company,” Jung said.

“For example, my role was taking care of the Directors’ piece which is a piece for beginner dancers to the hip-hop scene and just anyone who is learning dance for the first time or wants to like to take it back, take it slow,” said Jung.

“Another cool feature of our Directors’ piece is whoever wants to get a taste of choreographing for the first time can submit either a few seconds of a choreo piece or an entire 1-2 minute choreo for a Directors’ piece. So, I am in charge of that part for the Directors’ team. So I was a choreographer as well as a director for this show.”

The spring showcase put on by Expressions welcomed all types of performing artists from whistlers, to acapella singers, and most importantly, hip-hop dancers. The company puts on one showcase every semester, allowing students to fully express themselves through a variety of songs with hard basses, dabble in choreography, and even lead their own dances as members of the executive board.