SOPHIA ROSE SMITH
Dance Denmark 2019 was a six-week education abroad program through the OSU Department of Dance, directed by Professor Daniel Roberts and Ann Sofie Clemmensen. While in Denmark, we traveled to five cities where we performed a new 45-minute program, taught various styles of dance to Danish students, and took a large range of classes from different instructors. We had the opportunity to see many historical sites throughout the country and experience Danish culture.
Because this was my first time out of the country, I learned a lot about myself and about Danish culture. I was initially shocked upon arriving in Denmark, but because we spent six weeks in the country, I adapted greatly to the cultural norms and values of the Danish.
I have a deeper understanding of the differences that exist between American and Danish culture, and I can also foresee how differences from other cultures can compare to American cultures. I am grateful that I had this opportunity to travel abroad and recognize this.
As a dancer, I developed a much deeper understanding of myself through my experience in Denmark. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to choreograph a 3-minute dance for our 45-minute program that was showcased in Slagelse, Odense, and Aalborg. With the help of my incredible cast and teachers, I learned a lot about myself as a choreographer and artist through this process. I was also able to teach dance classes in Sorø and Slagelse to younger Danish students, students who do not dance, and Danish dancers around our age. It was an amazing experience to work with dancers from Ohio State and Denmark at the same time.
Of the six weeks we were in Denmark, we spent three weeks at a højskole, which is a school for Danish students to attend after high school before attending a university or going to work. We were rehearsing, taking classes, and teaching at Gerelv Idrætshøjskole. The campus was in a countryside outside the city of Slagelse, so we were surrounded by Danish students and their culture. From these interactions, we learned about the youth culture in Denmark and how different it is from American culture: it is not normal for students to go to a university right after graduating high school and they are encouraged to take some time to work or travel. They take this time to learn about themselves and what they are interested in for their future, but it is not rushed or forced in any way.
A huge part of Danish culture that I experienced was hygge. Hygge basically means a cozy and comfortable experience for people and it is a custom that they live by. I got to experience hygge in many different aspects. We would play board games and drink coffee, watch movies outside with blankets and pillows, relax and have a conversation on the terrace, and much more.
Dance Denmark transformed my life in more ways than I could have ever imagined. As this was my first experience traveling out of the country, I didn’t know what to expect, but I was blown away by how much I learned and grew from this program. I created relationships with people from Denmark and grew closer to my friends from OSU Dance. Being exposed to dance in Europe made me even more excited for my future in dance. I know I want to dance professionally following graduation, but this made that dream even bigger. There are so many opportunities for dancers in Denmark in several different companies. In just six weeks, Dance Denmark allowed me to learn so much about the professional world of dance, become even closer with my friends from OSU, make life-long friendships with people from Denmark, and fall in love with an amazing country.