Dance crew brings U of A students together through K-Pop

It was back in 2012 when Maria Milanowski, a second-year education student at the time, decided to assemble a group of strangers to perform at an event held at the U of A. Although it wasn’t uncommon for musicians or hip-hop dance acts to perform at events like these, Milanowski was instead interested in bringing a new flavour to the stage: the unmistakable energy of K-Pop dance.

Adopting the name “Convergence,” representing the unification of people from different walks of life with a similar love for K-Pop, the group went on to pursue other opportunities to perform with help from Korean language coordinator Dr. Kyungsook Kim and the the Edmonton Korean Community Association (EKCA).

Karlina Wong, who has been dancing with Convergence for six years, says the group’s roster has been dynamic since its establishment. Anyone is able to attend the open classes, which are held every Tuesday in the EKCA’s downtown centre — she’s seen recent graduates and people as young as high school students. Wong says Convergence recruits new members who regularly attend the classes and show interest in commitment to the team.

“As long as you like K-Pop, as long as you like to dance, and as long as you have a good work ethic, then we want to work with you,” Wong says.

Convergence now regularly performs at the Edmonton Heritage Festival, the U of A’s yearly Korean Cultural Festival, and the Chinese New Year Carnival held by Mary Help of Christians Chinese Catholic Parish. Last year, it had the unique opportunity to take mainstage at an Edmonton Eskimos’ halftime show as an homage to multiculturalism for Canada’s 150th anniversary. Michelle Chan, who has been dancing with Convergence for two years, says it was a performance she’ll never forget.

“I’ve danced so long that I’m used to performing on stage, in front of an audience, but that — I was like, I feel so small!” she says with a laugh.

On the heels of the halftime show, the group sought to improve even further to secure more high-profile gigs. According to the members, the long days of practices leading up to major performances make for fond memories and build team chemistry.

“We get really close over the course of the summer in preparation for Heritage Days, because we will have practices for up to 12 hours a day,” Chan says. “It’s a major bonding sesh. We get sore.”

Regarding its future ambitions, the group plans to work on independent projects, such as filming music videos and dance covers. Wong affirms that amid the growing popularity of the group, its vision remains the same.

“That’s what we wanted to do, to bring people together to converge in their singularity — in their passion for K-Pop and dance,” she says. “Being able to be comfortable with things you like helps you to be comfortable with yourself.”