“Aditya Singh has probably been one of the most influential people on Penn Dhamaka towards the growth of the team in several years. Through his work for Dhamaka, he has almost single-handedly turned our team from an average dance troupe only really known on Penn’s campus into a competitive dance team with national recognition and awards. Prior to Aditya’s time on Penn Dhamaka, while the dancers on Penn Dhamaka were good, the organization as a whole was more of a social group for South Asian students who simply enjoyed dancing. Aditya was able to inspire the group to take dance more seriously, as a passion and a skill that required dedication, hard work, and a desire for constant improvement, and created a culture on our team as a group that really valued showcasing the highest quality of dance each dancer was capable of. Now, we have several cases for why we are a real dance team and not just a social organization.
Personally, Aditya Singh has really shaped my Penn experience. I joined Penn Dhamaka with next to no dance experience and very little dancing talent. He took me and a few peers under his wing, and really put his heart and soul into training us as dancers, recognizing that to us dance was not only a hobby or a past time, but something incredibly meaningful to our lives. Aditya created the “new Penn Dhamaka” that has been so formative to my college experience and growth as a person as well. I don’t believe that without Aditya and his contribution to our team, that my college experience would be nearly the same.
For these reasons, I believe Aditya Singh is one of the most deserving people for the Spotlight Award this year. I am really grateful to take on the reigns to lead the team that he has reinvented.”