Year: Junior
Hometown: McLean, Virginia
Major: History, with a concentration in Women and Gender Studies
Campus Activities: Ballroom Dance Team, Indigenous Nations at Kenyon, Tutor at East Knox and Knox County Learning Center
Hi, Ali! So you’re the President of Kenyon’s Ballroom Dance Team. What compelled you to join the team when you were a first-year?
I’ve been dancing almost my entire life. I did ballet for ten years before I came to Kenyon, and I wanted to continue dancing here at Kenyon. When I saw that there was a Ballroom Dance Club, I went to the first newbie night and fell in love with it! I’ve never turned back.
The team has been pretty successful in competitions this school year, correct?
We do pretty well for ourselves, considering we are a team from a tiny liberal arts college and we’re competing against huge universities, like OSU and the University of Michigan, that have access to way more resources than we do.
What do you think is the secret ingredient to the team’s success?
We work really hard, and we enjoy it. I think our love and our passion for the sport helps us to perform well when we’re out on the dance floor
What is your favorite part about being president of Kenyon’s Ballroom team?
The best part for me was organizing Dancing with the Kenyon Stars. Even though it was incredibly stressful, it turned really well and it was really rewarding to see how much everyone’s hard work paid off. In the end, we put together a really successful event. I know a lot people enjoyed watching and attending the event, and that made all of the stress and anxiety that went into planning the event worth it. Giving back to the Kenyon community and sharing what we do is a really special opportunity. Plus, we raised $936 for the Winter Sanctuary, which is amazing!
Would you say that goal of sharing your passion for dance is a central part of the experience of being on the team?
Yeah, I mean, I think sometimes we get wrapped up in competition and competing. But when we step back from that, our favorite thing is really sharing our love for ballroom. That’s what we do every single night during practice, since our practices are open to anyone who wants to come. We love teaching others new steps and new dances, and our club is really itself when we are sharing our love for dance.
If you were a ballroom dance, which one would you be?
I think I’m a waltz.
Since you have experience tutoring in the Knox County Community, have you ever thought about being a dance teacher?
I’m definitely considering a career in education and have been ever since I can remember. I did at one point think about being a dance teacher, but I worry that doing something that I love so much all the time would make me love it less. It’s not that I don’t want to love what I do, but I want a passion to fall back on.
So let’s talk about some things besides ballroom. Since you’re a History major and also a member of Indigenous Nations at Kenyon, how do you see those two parts of your life intersect?
Indigenous Nations at Kenyon is primarily a group that raises awareness about native issues. As a history major, I think this is really important because a lot of issues facing native communities today are results of decision the American people made in the past. It’s really interesting and important to realize how much a single decision can shape the lives of an entire community, but you don’t realize this until 50 years down the road. My interest in history has helped me realize how much what an affect what we’re doing to day can impact the future. It’s really important to keep in mind when we’re making decisions today.
What do you love most about studying history at Kenyon?
I love the professors. I like the history community in general, including other majors.
Do you have anything else you’d like to add?
The doors to KAC 237 are always open! Anyone is welcome to our practices on Tuesday through Thursday from 8 to 10pm.
Thanks, Ali! Good luck to the Ballroom team with the rest of their season!
Image Credit: Ballroom Dance Team