K-Pop, the popular South Korean music genre, is gaining traction in the United States and influencing dance education at the University of South Florida (USF). This year, Jennifer Archibald, known for her choreography with brands like Nike and Tommy Hilfiger, joined USF’s School of Theatre and Dance as an assistant professor of commercial dance. She is now integrating K-Pop music into her classes and choreography.
Archibald’s arrival marks a shift for USF dance students, especially those like senior Chelsea Hitchcock who hope to work as backup dancers for major artists. Hitchcock said, “K-Pop is an emerging part of the dance industry, and its U.S. concerts provide plenty of new opportunities for dancers. Having experience dancing for one of its top choreographers will help me make connections.”
Hitchcock will perform in Archibald’s new piece at the College of Design, Art and Performance’s fall dance concert. The nine-minute segment features a mix of alternative, electronic, and K-Pop songs. Archibald noted the genre’s dedicated following: “If you aren’t familiar with K-Pop, you might be surprised by how many people in the audience know the songs. These fans know the groups and all the words, even when not in English. It’s a whole new culture, and on a global scale people are obsessed with it.”
Isabel Rubiera, another senior dance major performing in the piece, said, “Prior to Jennifer, we didn’t really have any professors who focused on commercial dance. The whole experience has been something I’ve never done before. It’s been awesome and will provide more opportunities for us after graduation. It’s becoming a really big thing for commercial dancers to perform on tour with Korean pop stars.”
K-Pop began in Korea in the early 1990s by blending hip-hop, R&B, rock, and techno with Korean lyrics and elaborate performances. Its popularity in the U.S. grew over the last 15 years through social media and collaborations such as BTS working with Halsey. In 2025, K-Pop bands like Aespa, ATEEZ, and Stray Kids performed at Florida arenas, while Netflix released “KPop Demon Hunters,” an animated film about a K-Pop girl group.
Hitchcock described the genre’s growth: “K-Pop is extremely popular right now. It’s gaining such a big audience and growing all the time.”
Archibald was born in Toronto and became the first female resident choreographer for the Cincinnati Ballet. She also spent over a decade lecturing at Yale University’s David Geffen School of Drama. Her interest in K-Pop deepened after choreographing for KCON Los Angeles in 2022. “I knew about K-Pop, but after landing that job, I really immersed myself in the music, the history, the dances, the top artists,” Archibald said.
She continues to return to KCON annually. “Those fans are living their best lives,” she said. “They know every dance move to every song from every music video. It’s an awesome event to be a part of.”
Rubiera recalled working with Archibald during her freshman year when Archibald held a guest residency at USF. Rubiera said, “When I heard she was coming back, I was very motivated to work with her again. It’s been a great experience. She finds ways to combine commercial and concert dance, and it forces us as dancers to be more diverse. It definitely helps us in our education.”
Hitchcock added, “Being in Jennifer’s work and incorporating K-Pop has been an amazing platform for us and will definitely help me in the industry after graduation. Just having the opportunity learn from her is something I’m incredibly grateful for.”
The USF Fall Dance Concert featuring Archibald’s students will take place October 23–25 at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee on October 26 at 2 p.m., at Theatre 1 on USF’s Tampa campus. Other choreographers include Andrew Carroll, Michael Foley, Bliss Kohlmyer, and Saar Magal. The performances are free but require tickets for entry.
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