Kosta

Remember when Bwog did pre-frosh profiles for next year’s incoming freshmen? Well, they’re back, because we learned about more cool pre-frosh. This time, we interviewed Kosta about his dance experience and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon-inspired attire.

Hometown: Plovdiv, Bulgaria

School: CC

Prospective Major: Medicine, Literature, and Society / Dance

Prospective Dorm: Carman

How long do you think it’ll take to lose your…

…dignity? I’m hoping that’s the one thing that I can keep until graduation!

…moral compass? We all lose track of it a little bit more often than we’d like

…sanity? I lose it every night when I dream!

How many Lit Hum books have you read? Or are planning to read?

I’ve read 4 of them and planning to read at least 5-6 more during the summer after I graduate.

Why Columbia?

I’ve always had this image in my mind of Columbia being the best Ivy (thanks, Gossip Girl haha!) but all jokes aside, I was really drawn by the idea of the Core because it is something I’m very familiar from the system in my country. I wanted to see what it would be for us all to study the same subjects, but with the best professors in the world. Also, I’ve never been to the USA, so I decided if I’m moving there, I might as well throw myself in the deep and go to the most exciting city in the world! I’m excited about the contrast between the peaceful campus and the chaotic city.

Tell us a bit about your dancing. When did you get started, and what are you working on right now? (We noticed that you had a lot of videos of your performances in a dance competition.)

I started ballroom dancing when I was 5 years old and right now I am taking a small break. Last year my partner and I qualified to represent the country in the World Championship, but she quit dancing very unexpectedly a bit before that, and I was left with no partner and nothing to do.

You mentioned that you appeared on Dancing with the Stars. When was this? How did you get on the show?

I got the offer to dance on the Vietnamese edition of Dancing with the Stars as one of the professional dancers exactly 10 minutes after I had submitted my ED application for Columbia (checking that I had no unusual circumstances or hiatuses to report)!

I was on the show these past four months, and it was the best time of my life! I’ve never felt more at home than I did in Vietnam and I miss the culture, the people and the food every single day! On the show my partner and I made it to fourth place, being eliminated in Week 9, right before the final. I’m happy with the result as this was my first year and my celebrity had absolutely no dance experience! It was an amazing experience and I’m so lucky to have had the opportunity. Right now I’m waiting to see if I will go back there in June and stay for one year and defer my enrollment at Columbia to do one more season on the show, but I am still waiting to hear from the company. If I don’t get the invitation, I will be enrolling this September with the class of 2018 like I originally planned!

What are you doing with the rest of your senior year?

For the rest of senior year (my last 20 days) I will be focusing on catching up on my studies and acing my exams. While I was in Vietnam I had to keep up with the material for 10 subjects, so now I have to pass my equivalency exams and graduate with my classmates! I believe everything will go well and I can’t wait to meet everyone on the Columbia campus this fall or next fall!

Thanks for having me as part of your feature. It was a great pleasure for me!