Roger Life: Alexis Eley on Sharing A Passion for Dance

April 21, 2021 By Anna Cohen

Junior Alexis Eley has multiple ways to live out her passion for dance at RWU. She is Treasurer of Ballroom Dance Club, a member of Dance Club, and is minoring in Dance. This year, Ballroom Dance Club is meeting virtually to accommodate their off-campus instructor. Dance Club, like RWU's dance classes, meets in-person.

Feeling Part of a Dance Family: “It’s been really great to be able to dance in-person. I used to take interaction for granted, but the pandemic has really made me appreciate being able to be around people. When I go home, I don’t have a lot of access to a dance studio or dancing with other people. Once I come back to school, I appreciate being able to connect and share the love of dance. I feel like I’m a part of a dance family. The studio is a home away from home. It’s a place where everyone feels welcome to do what they love and have fun.”

Learning Individually to be a Better Partner Dancer: “We have an outside instructor for Ballroom Dance Club, so we have our lessons on Zoom. It’s still fun, since I know that I’m dancing with my friends. Ballroom dance is a partner dance, so we have to imagine where our partner would be when we are dancing over Zoom. It teaches us to be aware of our spacing. It is a new experience that makes me a more well-rounded dancer.”

Sharing Her Passion, Making Close Friends: “I’d never done ballroom dance before I came to college, but when I joined the Ballroom Dance Club my freshman year, I fell in love with tango, swing, and cha-cha. Now, being involved in the club lets me share my passion for dance with people who might be trying dance for the first time. I can show what I’ve learned to new members and see them grow and learn new styles. It’s a good experience to be a part of that, and I’ve made a lot of close friends.”

In this video, sophomore Julia Derocher, Ballroom Dance Club's Event Chair, explains how Zoom-based lessons with their off-campus instructor keep Ballroom Dance Club members dancing. This shift created an opportunity for the members to learn that dancing solo actually has its benefits.

Eley, of Baltimore, Md., is majoring in Forensic Science and minoring in Criminal Justice and Dance.