Photos by Marlowe Hanel
Creative Genius
Jordan Nunnally, from Louisville Kentucky, is a freshman studying Broadcasting at Western Kentucky University. He describes himself as outgoing, optimistic, adventurous, and a mama’s boy. He is passionate about dancing, listening to music, and making music.
Nunnally practices with the WKU Kaios dance team for the “Exposure” Spring Showcase.
He first saw Kaios perform at the WKU Yard show in the fall. “Coming into college, of course I danced. It was kinda just a hobby though. I’ve never really been a part of a team” Nunnally says. He later tried out during official Kaios tryouts. “That whole entire process was great … when I got in, it was a nice, welcoming feeling.”
Leading up to the showcase, there were a couple of struggles. Kaios was supposed to be done ready a week before the show, but ended up having to practice up until the day of the show. “There was many times where I feel like I wasn’t going to be able to get certain things down. Yeah I am good at dancing, but when it comes to choreography … that’s a whole other level.”
He first saw Kaios perform at the WKU Yard show in the fall. “Coming into college, of course I danced. It was kinda just a hobby though. I’ve never really been a part of a team” Nunnally says. He later tried out during official Kaios tryouts. “That whole entire process was great … when I got in, it was a nice, welcoming feeling.”
Leading up to the showcase, there were a couple of struggles. Kaios was supposed to be done ready a week before the show, but ended up having to practice up until the day of the show. “There was many times where I feel like I wasn’t going to be able to get certain things down. Yeah I am good at dancing, but when it comes to choreography … that’s a whole other level.”
While Nunnally attended WKU’s annual Black 2Gether Again cookout on April 19, 2024, he and his friends found Inflatable Bumper Balls. “I have always wanted to get in one … I don’t know who made it a thing to just run into each other, but that was the idea when I saw them.”
Nunnally has a picnic with his girlfriend, Nyah Catus, on South Lawn on April 27, 2024. They still had their picnic despite having missed their original goal of watching sunset together.
Nunnally’s favorite part of the “Exposure” Spring Showcase performance, on April 20, 2024, was his solo dance. “Before starting and the curtains opened, I had prayed to God that it would turn out great.” His hope was that the audience would enjoy it.
The theme of his solo was “The Evolution of Man”. Nunnally said, “Not only because it was my first time making it, [but] because I feel like I had an emotional connection to it”. Leading up to the performance, Nunnally had not practiced the end of his solo. “I had a breakdown on stage… it wasn’t sad, it just felt good to let it out … I don’t know what part of my mind connected to the dance, but it connected so well to where I had to lay on the stage for a good minute or two”. When the curtains closed, his teammates had to carry him off stage.” Nunnally said letting all that out before his teammates, and then their acceptance of him showed their love and care. “I didn’t want them to see that part of me, but they got to. And I don’t regret them seeing that either.”
The theme of his solo was “The Evolution of Man”. Nunnally said, “Not only because it was my first time making it, [but] because I feel like I had an emotional connection to it”. Leading up to the performance, Nunnally had not practiced the end of his solo. “I had a breakdown on stage… it wasn’t sad, it just felt good to let it out … I don’t know what part of my mind connected to the dance, but it connected so well to where I had to lay on the stage for a good minute or two”. When the curtains closed, his teammates had to carry him off stage.” Nunnally said letting all that out before his teammates, and then their acceptance of him showed their love and care. “I didn’t want them to see that part of me, but they got to. And I don’t regret them seeing that either.”
Nunnally also performed two songs during the showcase. “When I perform music, some people see another side of me, because I don’t usually talk like that, it’s not really like my persona”, Nunnally explains. He pursues music as a hobby instead of seeking to be a full time artist. “Being able to have the ability to put bars together and wrap them on stage is fun to do”.
Nunnally explains the lyrics, “Many times, I say, people tend to dream themselves because they want to please the world”, from his second song, Break Free, as a focus on breaking free from a false perception of who you are.
Nunnally explains the lyrics, “Many times, I say, people tend to dream themselves because they want to please the world”, from his second song, Break Free, as a focus on breaking free from a false perception of who you are.
I was definitely supposed to work on a class project, but I ended up going to my music”. Nunnally works on his new song he is preparing to release in the ISEC study lounge on April 24, 2024.
“Sometimes it [the ISEC study lounge] is kinda like a break space away from the dorm.” Nunnally explains how the lounge motivates him to finish his work so he can go hang out with the other people around the ISEC office.
“Sometimes it [the ISEC study lounge] is kinda like a break space away from the dorm.” Nunnally explains how the lounge motivates him to finish his work so he can go hang out with the other people around the ISEC office.
Nunnally served food during WKU’s annual Black 2Gether Again cookout with fellow members of WKU’s Why Knot Us, a black male initiative that is for the betterment of the community, on April 19, 2024. They focus on community service, leadership, and practicing professionalism.
“With my optimistic attitude and my personality, I feel like I can better help the community see the positive side of professionalism, because others may not be able to see that”, Nunnally says while explaining why he chose to join Why Knot Us. “When you are in a leadership position, you don’t define yourself as just a leader, you also define others as leaders as well…. I don’t call people followers. That is just like a commander, and thats not what I am”. Nunnally saw how others define leadership wrong. “A leader also understands what mistakes are. They definitely take accountability and responsibility for those mistakes, and of course they better themselves”.
“With my optimistic attitude and my personality, I feel like I can better help the community see the positive side of professionalism, because others may not be able to see that”, Nunnally says while explaining why he chose to join Why Knot Us. “When you are in a leadership position, you don’t define yourself as just a leader, you also define others as leaders as well…. I don’t call people followers. That is just like a commander, and thats not what I am”. Nunnally saw how others define leadership wrong. “A leader also understands what mistakes are. They definitely take accountability and responsibility for those mistakes, and of course they better themselves”.
“I wouldn’t say I am very known around campus, but for people to know my work feels amazing, and to win the award was even more amazing… I felt like I won a grammy for the first time”.
Nunnally was awarded the “Creative Genius” title at WKU’s Black Student Alliance (BSA) Black Excellence Award on April 28, 2024. “I feel seen by many other people who are creative. And for them to choose me makes me not only motivated, but it gives me the time of day to get and be like “ok I can do this for sure” and I’m gonna keep doing it”.
Nunnally was awarded the “Creative Genius” title at WKU’s Black Student Alliance (BSA) Black Excellence Award on April 28, 2024. “I feel seen by many other people who are creative. And for them to choose me makes me not only motivated, but it gives me the time of day to get and be like “ok I can do this for sure” and I’m gonna keep doing it”.
