Frosh Meet Faust, Break Dance in Annenberg

It’s not uncommon for freshmen to exit Annenberg feeling like they’ve left a time warp (where did the last two hours just go?  Ah, lost to that stained-glass refectory forever).  But at yesterday evening's Study Break with University President Drew G. Faust (sorry Drew, Larry was a better dancer: see left, with the original caption) and Dean Thomas A. Dingman ’67, students entered a parallel universe of chocolate crepes, hot apple cider, and….a dance floor waiting to be thronged with freshmen letting off Reading Period steam.

The tables, bedecked in light lilac and navy tablecloths, were parted to the side, making way for a large rectangular space in front of a DJ.  The décor and setup combined a classy dinner party vibe with the feel of the frosh First Chance Dance, making for a slightly different mood than your average Brain Break.

Students lined up to sample potato skins, rolls, hamburgers, and sliders at one table and eagerly crafted their own crepes at another.  Inside the cafeteria’s great wooden doors were platters of fruit and cheese, with a batch of Chex Mex thrown in for good measure.  And of course, the most important beverage of the evening lay in wait where the grill is normally situated: hot cider.  Mhmm.

President Faust mingled and greeted the class of 2013 for a long while, introducing herself at various tables along with Dean Dingman and the Yard Resident Deans.  At around 10:10 pm, after President Faust had departed, the DJ cranked up the volume and the lights suddenly dropped to a dim glow.  A giggle-infused murmur fell over the crowd.  It was time for Brain Break gone wild.

“My favorite part was when I saw Dean Dingman warming up to one of the songs,” said Jose A. 'Arturo' Villanueva ’13.  “He wasn’t completely dancing but he was feeling the groove.”

Hundreds of freshmen facing their first slew of exams, many of them locked in libraries for hours early in the day, now full to the brim with chocolate syrup, let loose.  Despite the rather unexpected timing for a dance party, the floor was only empty for a few minutes before a few brave souls dared to take center stage.

With songs like “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus, “Single Ladies” by Beyoncé, and “Down” by Jay Sean to propel them, attendees witnessed an impromptu dance battle. (Editor's note: Hell yes, you young, supple, eager freshman show-offs.  Bring it on.) More after the jump.

Freshmen break-dancers Richard Huang '13 and Konlin Shen '13 started it out with some playful face-offs, but when Felix de Rosen '13 and Ryan C. Cutter '13 joined to make it a four-way dance off, it really got ugly.  There was breaking, moon-walking, frequent recurrences of the worm (forward, backward, slow, fast….), hat spinning, headstands, gliding, and a near-disastrous chair collision, among many other memorable moves.

“It was awesome being able to mix something as modern as break dancing with something as classical as Annenberg,” said de Rosen.  “The floor was a little slippery for breaking, though.”

Winston S. Waters II ’13 added that letting loose in the ‘Berg made the dining hall seem more “homey” for the freshmen.

“I danced until the very end when they made us leave,” Deisy Y. Ruiz ’13 said.  “I think we should do it once a week.”