This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Emory chapter.
Meet Rachiel Kennen, President of Emory’s Persuasion! Rachiel is a senior majoring in Business and Sociology with a concentration in Marketing and Strategy & Management Consulting. When she’s not working with Persuasion, Rachiel is also involved with the Student Alumni Board (as chair of the Senior Experience Committee), Emory Women in Business (as Executive Vice President), and is also a member of Gamma Phi Beta.
Her Campus Emory (HCE): What is Persuasion?
Rachiel Kennen (RK): Persuasion is Emory’s all-female hip hop dance crew. We seek to promote self-empowerment, emphasizing our strength and sexuality through our choreography.
HCE: How did you get involved with Persuasion?
RK: I danced in high school so I knew I wanted to stay involved when I came to college. I saw Persuasion perform at Best in Show my freshman year and loved their performance so I decided to try out.
HCE: What’s your favorite part about Persuasion?
RK: My team! I am so honored to be able to lead these girls with my fabulous co-captain. It might not seem like it, but we are all pretty goofy and weird, so seeing everyone sort of transform into these sexy badass characters when we perform is so fun to watch.
HCE: When did you start dancing?
RK: I have been dancing my entire life. I danced at a studio growing up, then joined the dance team once I started high school. I have never been formally trained in hip hop, so I am pretty excited that I was able to pick it up and make it on Persuasion.
HCE: When is the your next show?
RK: We will be performing at Emory’s Cultural Overnight Recruitment Experience (CORE) in WHSCAB Auditorium on October 16th at 7pm. We are also doing a collaboration with Karma Bhangra Dance Team at Diwali on November 7th. We are hoping to launch a dance version of First Fridays next semester, so keep an eye out for that! Why not start a tradition of sharing Emory’s dance groups as well?
HCE: How can we keep up with you?
RK: @rkennen on Instagram, and on my new radio show that I just started this year, “Ben and Rach’s Autotune Hour” (Fridays at 5pm)!