This past Friday night students and faculty gathered to watch the Dancing With The Stonehill Stars competition. Each year the immensely talented Dance Team coaches and competes alongside popular Stonehill staff and faculty stars. We caught up with this year’s winner, Admissions Counselor Randy Jose!
Job title: Admission Counselor
Nickname: Randall
Class year: Class of 2012
What were you most nervous about before competing?
Honestly, I was most nervous about dancing again at Stonehill and wanting to be better than I was when I graduated in 2012. I’m not sure if I accomplished that this time around, but it felt great to be back on stage for what could be my final time. I was also nervous about the other 9 stars in the show because each one of them brings something so unique to their routine that it’s hard to really pick a favorite.
What is your go-to dance move?
Truthfully, I don’t have a go-to move. However if I had to pick one, I’d probably say the old 1970’s shuffle. You can do that move to any song from any decade. It’s a fun move that everyone can do!
What was the most challenging dance move to learn?
The most challenging dance move to learn would probably be the moon walk. It looks very simple, but in reality, it’s like an illusion. It took me a long time to master how to make the moon walk look smooth and easy to do.
Who did you see as your biggest competition?
Like I said before, all of the stars in the show had something unique to add to their routines. For my routine, all we focused on was great dancing. My coaches, Erin and Jenny, are awesome dancers, so I had great girls to work with. Out of all the stars, Mary Anne had not only great dancing, but also a positive message with her routine. I loved her performance, and she definitely gave me a run for my money! She’s an amazing woman and leader on our campus.
How did you wow the judges?
Haha I don’t know if I “wow’d” the judges, but we tried to pick songs that were instantly familiar, and fun to listen to. That way, when we were dancing, the judges (and everyone at the show) could dance along with us.
Being a Stonehill alum, how great was it to be coached by current Stonehill students? How did they make the event even better?
I love working with current students on campus. It keeps me up to date with what’s going on at Stonehill, and it keeps me up to speed with the community. Any chance I get to work with students makes any experience better, and working with Erin and Jenny was no different. Sharing that love and appreciation for Stonehill is a beautiful thing. We had a ton of fun making the routine, and picking songs/learning the moves was awesome. My experience with DWTSS was even better working with the ladies of the Dance Team.
Any special shoutouts you would like to give?
I want to give a shout out to my coaches, Erin and Jenny. You ladies are amazing and thank you for selecting me to be your star! I also want to give a shout out to Dance Team for putting on yet another successful Dancing with the Stonehill Stars event! Last, and certainly not least, I want to give a shout out to all those who came to the event. Your support was truly appreciated and it was great to see so many of you in the audience. It’s been a honor and a privilege to dance in front of the greatest school in the world!