Greece: Katrina Feltz
Program: UW Dancing Cultures in Greece, Summer
Katrina’s Major: Physics
What is your most memorable experience from your program?
My study abroad program is dancing cultures in Greece, so while on this program, I had the opportunity to take many dance classes. One of the most memorable experiences I had during this program was taking a ballet class in Greek. I know a few Greek phrases, but I’m definitely not fluent, so I expected this class to be tricky. Surprisingly, I was able to follow along because of the common vocabulary and movements that are consistent throughout the ballet world. This goes to show that movement and dance are able to connect people in a way that spoken words can’t, and that is truly a beautiful thing.
How were your program academics similar or different from taking classes at UW-Madison?
We spent a lot more time learning cultural traditions and history in person rather than in a lecture hall. Since this course is about dancing cultures in Greece, we not only watched folk dancing performances, but we also attended a folk dancing class and learned a few of the dances from a professional. This was a very special experience because we could have easily watched these dances online, but watching these performances and taking dance classes in person was very engaging and a lot more memorable than reading from a textbook. One thing that is similar to classes at UW-Madison is that we still had some lecture time, but a lot of it was filled with discussions, so even in that way, I found this course to be a lot more interactive than classes I’ve taken on campus.
Even if you haven’t danced before, there is so much to gain from this experience.
What is a custom, food or tradition from your host country that you are taking forward?
We attended a cooking class where we learned how to make tzatziki which is a dip made out of Greek yogurt, garlic, and cucumbers. I have eaten a lot of it during my time here and it is very delicious, so I will definitely be making it a lot when I get home!
What did you learn about yourself or the world because of your experience?
This program taught me more world history than I ever learned in a history class throughout my education. Through creating timelines and visiting many museums, I was able to delve deep into not only Greek history but the history of the surrounding lands and people. I think that physically experiencing these museums and hearing stories from locals connected me a lot more with the history I was learning. Through this, I also realized that I retain information a lot better when experiencing it, so I think that the fact that this course about Greek culture is studied in Greece is very effective.
What is your advice for someone considering your program?
Take this course! Even if you haven’t danced before, there is so much to gain from this experience. Many students who took this program with me hadn’t taken a dance class before, and from what I’ve heard, they have really enjoyed their experience and want to take more classes when they get back to UW-Madison. Beyond learning about the cultures of dance in Greece, you learn a lot about the history and present-day events within the country. Additionally, the course size is small, so you get really close with everyone attending, and you have each other to work through challenges that arise.