Through the Eugene Lang Opportunity Award, I attended the two-week Dance Summer School at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London, England. The program challenged me in ways that were both expected and unexpected. Ultimately, these challenges helped me gain a better sense of direction for my academic and post-graduation goals. I am now very interested in applying to the Masters in Dance Performance program at Trinity Laban through the Fulbright Program.
The majority of my time at Laban was spent in my daily classes. I started the day with a Pilates mat class followed by a Ballet class. After the lunch break, I took an Afro-Urban Contemporary class with Tina Omotosho of Uchenna Dance company. My last class of the day was Hofesh Shechter Repertory with a different member of the Hofesh Shechter Company each week. I took classes with company members, Yeji Kim and Bruno Guillore.
When I was not in class, I tried to explore London as much as possible. I explored the areas of Canary Wharf, Surrey Quays, Deptford, Greenwich, Kennington, and the City of London. I am very glad I invested in a visitor Oyster card prior to my arrival, so I was able to take a variety of public transportation around London. This allowed me to see other parts of London while on the above-ground train, the famous double-decker buses, and Thames River boat.
Overall, I am very appreciative that I was able to attend the Summer School at Trinity Laban, and I am excited to see if I will be returning next year for their Master’s program. Though now, I know to make sure I have my laptop with me before I board the plane [I left it at JFK airport during my departure, but luckily got it back]!
