Dance, Communication Double Major Finds Her Groove as a Cougarette

Kylee Poole, a double major in dance and communication, came to the College of Charleston, in part, to be on the College’s dance team known as the Cougarettes.

“I love the dance team because it gives me an opportunity to push myself in a way that I’ve never been pushed before,” says Poole. “It has given me leadership skills and the confidence to express who I am.”

Poole is classically trained in dance, but when she was looking at higher education options, she didn’t want to go to a conservatory and only study dance. “I realized that I wanted the opportunity to grow, and I knew that I wanted to double major at that point, but I did not know in what field I was going into.”

A friend told Poole about the College of Charleston, and she decided to apply.

After she was accepted, Poole, who is from Knoxville, Tennessee, wasn’t sure if she was ready to commit to the College, until she toured the campus. She didn’t go on an official tour, but when she and her family were on campus, a man stopped them to ask if they needed directions, and he just happened to be Edward Hart ’88, then dean of the School of the Arts. When Poole told him she wanted to major in dance, he gave her and her family a tour of the facilities.

“I immediately was like,’ Oh, now I get it.’ And it became my first choice,” says Poole. “I pretty much immediately committed as soon as I visited.”

While Poole, who is now a rising junior, primarily studied ballet growing up, she decided to try out for the Cougarettes, which features more contemporary dance.

“A lot of girls on the team don’t come from that background, but that’s why we are a great team — because we come from so many different disciplines,” she says. “It’s been a really great experience.”