From BTS Dance Covers to Community Powerhouse: The Rise of Beyond The Dance Belgium

by Joy Kapinda, Beyond The Dance Belgium

After organizing a fantastic cup sleeve event in Leuven, Belgium, we were left intrigued and wondering what Beyond The Dance Belgium is. If you haven’t read the cup sleeve event post, check it out here.

The energetic dance group Beyond The Dance Belgium, also known as BTD, is based in Leuven and was founded in the fall of 2018 by a group of friends who love K-pop music, especially BTS.

The History of BTD

The group of friends met online in a Facebook chat for Flemish Army's. After a couple of online conversations, they decided to meet up and grab a meal when one suggested starting a K-pop cover dance group. They were so excited to begin during the first meeting that they immediately decided on the name and logo. The group started with seven members, out of which three worked together to manage things. Between the 3 of them, they split the admin work and their socials and taught the classes.

Due to it mainly starting as a BTS dance cover group, their name was a variant of that. When you look at it closely, you'll also realize that it aligns with their mission: "Dance for the fun of it and don't stress about a mistake here or there, for enjoying the music with friends is what Beyond The Dance is all about!"

Even though back then, they couldn't have dreamt of what it is today, they manifested it.

At the core of the dance group is inclusivity. They want people of all dance backgrounds, or lack thereof, to feel welcome in their group. If you've always wanted to join, but you have mobility issues? No worries, they are considerate and will help you make moves that work best for your body personally. BTD believes showing up and giving your best rather than always trying to be perfect is more important.

Initially, the group's main focus was mastering the complete choreographies of BTS songs, of which 21st-century Girl was the first dance cover learned. By learning full choreographies, they developed their dance skills over time and deepened their appreciation for the group. In the first two years, they discovered four full choreographies and filmed a Go Go video. You can find the cover video here.

Due to Covid19, BTD had to take a break, just like the rest of the world, and that's when the approach started changing, from having BTS as their primary focus to being more flexible and offering dance classes for all K-Pop fans and around Leuven. They occasionally take on special projects, such as full choreography music videos, depending on the availability of their members. If you want to see their latest one, watch it here.

The person behind Beyond The Dance

Meet Marie-Lou Obdeijn, the driving force behind Beyond The Dance, also known as my roomie. As the current manager, Marie-Lou orchestrates all aspects of the group, from organizing classes and managing social media to leading promotions and organizing events.

With a bachelor's degree in Film & TV Production from the RITCS (Royal Institute of Theater, Cinema & Sounds) in Brussels, Marie-Lou brings a wealth of experience in event planning and organization.

Marie-Lou's passion for event planning began when she co-founded an event organization called The RT in Oslo, Norway. The company specialized in fan conventions for the popular TV show 'SKAM' and its remakes.

With her help, The RT successfully brought two events to life, including the wildly popular 'High on Skam 2,' which drew 450 guests over a weekend in Rome.

In addition to her work with Beyond The Dance and The RT, Marie-Lou is also a passionate filmmaker. She produced and directed her short film 'Labeled' in 2022. She was also the production assistant for the popular tv-show 'Liefdestips aan Mezelf' that aired this January.

With a passion and a vision for Beyond The Dance Belgium, she is looking forward to the things yet to come.

In the future, the goal is to grow the dance group and create a community of K-pop fans in and around Leuven. To keep up with the classes that are there right now while expanding by adding full choreography dances and hosting meet-ups and events. There will also be occasional movies, concerts, and hangouts to grow the community of K-pop fans, and in the summer, there will be a picnic to get to know each other better.

If you're ever in the neighborhood, check out the BTD website and sign up for a dance class! If you want to stay updated with future events that Beyond The Dance will organize, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

A little about the writer:

Hi you! My name is Joy, and I'm the founder of the blog called dailydoseofjoy.com, A faith-based lifestyle blog on which I enjoy sharing all my life experiences, tips, and favorite shows. I am a vast K-Drama lover and K-culture enthusiast. I love documenting new things that I do in my life, and this cup sleeve event wasn't any different. It was my first-ever cup sleeve event, so I wanted to write about it and had the honor of posting it on the Daebak Daily! I hope you enjoyed this post, and if you want to read more of my posts, check out my website.

Big love,

Joy