We were lucky to catch up with Andy Zhu recently and have shared our conversation below.

Andy, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

Creating and leading a dance club on my own was unthinkable to me at the time. I was a freshman during the fall of 2019, and I was eager to find a dance/K-pop club that I could join to hopefully make new friends, explore my passions, and to just establish myself as a member of the Jasper HS community. My junior high boasted about their numerous and inclusive organizations that would make anyone “feel at home”. Well, I couldn’t find that home I wanted. I waited for someone else to build that home so I could join because honestly, I never thought about building it myself. That’s how bizarre and apprehensive the idea was to me. I could only wait so long until I realized that the home I wanted was never going to be built unless I acted first. Unless I laid the foundation. Unless I drew the blueprints. In a way, waiting for a month or so gave me time to think about my capabilities as a leader, and ultimately I convinced myself that maybe I am capable. Maybe I can lead a club as a freshman transfer. And so I did. In August 2019, K-Krew was born and I found myself in a position I never knew would change me for the rest of my high school career.

I was cognizant of many obstacles and risks that were associated with creating a Kpop dance club. There was already a well-established hip-hop club called “The Effect” that, in a sense, felt threatened by my start-up. It was a direct challenge to their hegemony as THE dance club, but I never looked at it that way. I just wanted to do what I love. I had no intention of competing with them in a fight of “Who’s the Better Club?”. But such an act meant, to many, a confrontation with members of “The Effect”. I soon found myself in a battle I never asked for, but what I didn’t realize then was that this battle to ensure K-Krew’s prosperity would be at the forefront of my intentions for the rest of high school

Andy, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I first got into K-pop while I was still in middle school. This love of mine then turned into a reality when I started a K-pop dance club at Jasper HS during my freshman year. We’ve grown steadily to become one of the largest and most popular student-run clubs at my senior high, Plano West. We focus on giving dance and K-pop enthusiasts in our area a chance to participate in K-pop dance covers. K-Krew’s 2022-23 school year has been wildly successful as we have over 30 members in our audition-only dance team this year. Since August 2022, we’ve organized over 10 projects/covers and have received over 80,000 views on YouTube as of this writing. Our lifetime achievements are over 550,000 views across all our media platforms.

There’s one aspect of this organization that I will forever be proud of: Our mission to ensure that everyone in the West Cluster has the ability to participate in our projects. I’ve seen many dance crews around the area that either isn’t able to logistically support organizing so many projects all at once or just outright refuse to allow interested supporters to join. I could have made K-Krew a private organization and only allowed my closest friends and supporters to join, but I refused to do that because I wanted this opportunity to be available to everyone. Because that’s how I felt 4 years ago. I wanted to join such an organization and I would’ve been heartbroken if there did exist such organization that didn’t accept new potential members. I didn’t want to lead that kind of organization.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I believe that non-creatives may struggle to understand the unique challenges and joys that come with pursuing creativity. One thing that non-creatives may struggle to understand is the importance of artistic expression as a form of personal fulfillment and self-discovery. For creatives, dance, music, or other forms of artistic expression are not just hobbies or extracurricular activities, but rather a fundamental aspect of their identity and way of seeing the world. Another thing that non-creatives may struggle to understand is the amount of hard work, dedication, and perseverance that goes into pursuing creative passions. Creatives often face a lot of rejection, setbacks, and criticism in their journey, but they continue to work tirelessly because they are driven by their passion for their craft.

Finally, non-creatives may struggle to understand the importance of community and collaboration in creative pursuits. While creativity may seem like a solitary activity, creatives often rely on the support and encouragement of their peers and mentors to push themselves to new heights and overcome obstacles.

In summary, as a creative, I believe that non-creatives may struggle to understand the personal fulfillment, hard work, and collaborative nature of pursuing artistic expression. By recognizing and respecting these unique aspects of the creative journey, we can create a more inclusive and supportive community for all.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I believe that society can do several things to best support artists, creatives, and a thriving creative ecosystem. Firstly, society can provide more funding and resources to support arts education programs in schools and community centers. By investing in these programs, we can ensure that young people have access to quality arts education and training, which can help them develop their skills and creativity.

Secondly, society can create more opportunities for artists and creatives to showcase their work, whether it be through exhibitions, performances, or other public events. By promoting and celebrating artistic expression, we can help to raise awareness of the importance of the arts and the positive impact they can have on our communities.

Thirdly, society can provide more financial support and resources to individual artists and creatives, including grants, fellowships, and residencies. These programs can help to provide artists with the financial stability and resources they need to pursue their craft and develop their skills.

Lastly, society can foster a culture that values and respects the contributions of artists and creatives, by recognizing their work and celebrating their achievements. This can help to create a more supportive and inclusive environment for artists and creatives, where their talents and contributions are appreciated and valued.

In summary, as a high school dance club president and founder, I believe that society can best support artists, creatives, and a thriving creative ecosystem by investing in arts education programs, creating more opportunities for artists to showcase their work, providing financial support and resources to individual artists, and fostering a culture that values and respects the contributions of artists and creatives.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/k_krew_pwsh/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@k_krew_pwsh

Image Credits
K-Krew Media Team