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.
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}}
