Kate Littlejohn is a second year PhD student and graduate teaching assistant at The University of Auckland Dance Studies. Kate Littlejohn is a freelance dance artist, researcher and choreographer based in Auckland. Within 13 years of dancing, she holds a Bachelor of Dance Studies and a Master of Dance Studies from the University of Auckland. For the past three years, Kate has been honing her dance skills at Enbeat Dance Academy, training in Hip Hop grooves and house. Notably, Kate is also a member of the K-pop crew Elit-is, where she shines under the stage name Littlejohn. This moniker holds a deep significance as it pays homage to her family, who have shown their endless support. She is notably the first academic to teach K-pop in the Dance Studies program, specifically in the Dance 215: Special Topic: Styles and Techniques paper as a course lecturer (GTA). Additionally, she is the first academic in the program to continue her K-pop research from her master's into her PhD. Kate is dedicated to bringing the worlds of academic research and dance performance, focusing on creative art practice research and pop culture.