Today we’d like to introduce you to Jedrik Kuilan.
Hi Jedrik, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My name is Jedrik Kuilan, and I’ve been part of the Desi Dance Network community for over three years. During that time, I’ve competed in more than 15 competitions across the country while also getting involved on the organizational side and helping run competitions. Being able to experience this community as both a competitor and organizer has given me a really strong appreciation for everything that goes into creating these opportunities for dancers.
A huge part of my story now is Legends Dance Championship. Legends was founded in 2016 by former dancers who wanted to stay connected to the South Asian performing arts community, and this year we’re incredibly excited to be entering our 11th year. Legends was created to support a community of more than 150 South Asian collegiate dance teams and 50 competitions across the country. These teams bring together styles like hip hop, bhangra, contemporary, and classical dance while using their performances to tell stories, represent their culture, and spread meaningful messages.
Over the past decade, Legends has grown far beyond just putting on one show every year. The championship has traveled across the country, with past seasons taking place in Los Angeles, the Bay Area, Chicago, Dallas, Charlotte, and even virtually when the community had to adapt. Through all of that, the purpose has stayed the same: bringing together dancers from across the country and giving South Asian performing artists a platform to showcase what they have spent an entire season creating.
Being involved with Legends has shown me just how much work happens behind the scenes to make something at this scale possible. We work with collegiate teams, competitions, judges, volunteers, production teams, sponsors, alumni, and so many others throughout the DDN community. Our goal is not just to put teams on a stage. We want to create an entire experience that makes dancers feel like the months of work they put into their sets are being celebrated at the highest level.
What makes Legends especially meaningful to me is the community it serves. DDN connects thousands of students and alumni through a shared love for South Asian dance and culture. Legends gives that community something to work toward throughout the season and ultimately brings everyone together to celebrate some of the best talent in the circuit. After competing for several years myself, being able to now help lead and continue growing something that has served this community for over a decade has been an incredibly rewarding next chapter for me.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t always been a smooth road. One of the biggest challenges has been the rising cost of putting on an event at this scale. Legends brings together over 500 dancers and more than 2,000 attendees, so there are a lot of moving pieces involved in making the championship happen successfully.
Venue rentals, transportation, hotels, production, and other event logistics have all become more expensive over the years. A big part of our work has been figuring out how to continue growing Legends without sacrificing the quality of the experience for the dancers and the community.
We’ve been working closely with vendors and partners to find better solutions, while also expanding our reach so we can bring in more sponsors and build stronger long term partnerships. Our goal is to get to a point where we can focus as much as possible on putting on the best championship we can, without every decision being limited by cost. We want Legends to continue being an experience that feels special for the people who attend, and the larger South Asian dance community that supports the event every year.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Legends is focused on creating opportunities and resources that help the South Asian dance community continue to grow. While the championship is a major part of what we do, a lot of our work happens throughout the year through collaboration with competitions, teams, alumni, vendors, and other organizations within the circuit.
One thing we specialize in is bringing different parts of the community together. We are constantly looking for ways to create stronger relationships between current dancers, alumni, organizations, and outside partners. We also want to help bring more visibility to South Asian dance and create opportunities for people outside of the existing circuit to discover and support it.
What I’m most proud of is that Legends has become an organization people within the community can rely on. We have a team that genuinely cares about improving the circuit and is always looking at what we can do differently rather than simply repeating what has been done before.
I think what sets Legends apart is that we are always thinking about the bigger picture. We want to help South Asian collegiate dance continue growing beyond individual teams or competitions. Whether that means developing new partnerships, bringing more attention to the art form, creating better opportunities for dancers, or helping connect different generations of the community, we want Legends to have a positive impact that lasts beyond one weekend every year.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://legends.desidancenetwork.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ddnlegends/?hl=en
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DesiDanceNetwork
