Alex Raposo ('22): Dance
Honing technical skills through solo ballroom dance
Student Bio
My name is Alex Raposo (class of 2022), and I am studying Mathematics and Data Science at William & Mary. This summer I used my Catron funding to further my development as a competitive ballroom dancer by working closely with professional dancer Diane O’Neal to further my breadth of dance abilities and hone my technical skills.
![Alex Raposo headshot](../catron-pictures/raposo-alex-headshot.png)
The pandemic prevented me from practicing the traditional style of ballroom, which is danced with a partner. However, I have instead transitioned to practicing solo ballroom dance. Although these forms differ in some elements, solo ballroom utilizes the same techniques as the traditional style. As a result, the most significant impact of my experience was a clear improvement in my dance technique, which will certainly aid me in future competitive dance settings.
Beyond my own practice of ballroom, I serve as the co-captain of the William & Mary club ballroom dance team. As a captain, I am committed to the growth of other dancers and aim to provide consistent and technically informed feedback. My work with Ms. O’Neal undoubtably allowed me to become a more poised and capable dancer, which has contributed to the heightened technical skill reflected in my team members.
In the future, I plan to continue to share my passion for ballroom while advancing through higher levels of competition. In the video below, my co-captain and I demonstrate several of the choreographed solo ballroom pieces I learned this summer, which we later taught to our team. Thank you.
Student Work
Alex and her co-captain of the William & Mary club ballroom dance team demonstrate several solo ballroom dance techniques.
{{youtube:large:center|MqjMZyul65U, Alex Raposo '22: Solo Ballroom Dance}}