Carina Platner is a very involved member of the Brandeis community: she leads aerobics classes, she is President of Adagio Dance Company, and also works at the Pepperberg Parrot Lab. You can read all about her involvement with these activities below.
Hometown: Wellington, FL
Majors: Psychology and Sociology
Class: 2012
HC: You’re now president of Adagio, how long have you been involved in the club and what’s your favorite thing about it?
CP: I’ve been on the board of Adagio since sophomore year, when I was the secretary, and then last year I was the events coordinator, and now president. My favorite part of being the Adagio President is creating a community of people who love to dance regardless of their level and I love that it’s such an open community.
HC: That’s so cool that you’ve been involved since the beginning. Do you choreograph as well?
CP: Yeah, for our spring show coming up on April 26th and 28th, I choreographed two dances, one is jazz and one is lyrical. I’m also the most proud of the dance I choreographed for the show to Adele’s Turning Tables. My favorite kind of dance is lyrical and also contemporary, but I also do a bit of everything! Like jazz and acro especially.
HC: I’m sure the show will be great! You also teach Aerobics?
CP: Yeah, I got certified to teach over the summer, and now teach classes here.
HC: You also work in the Pepperberg Lab, can you tell me a little about that?
CP: Yes, so I major in Psych and Sociology and I work with parrots in the lab studying animal cognition. My sisters both worked in the lab when they went to Brandeis, which is how I knew about it and so then I applied.
HC: One more question: being a senior, could you leave some parting advice to the Freshman class?
CP: Hmm, I know this sounds cliché but my advice would be to try new things, try something even if you think you can’t do it or that you won’t succeed, because chances are that you’ll find a new passion that you love!