The Student Lens: The Alley Interview

 

Hello everyone, and welcome back to the Student Lens series. Today, I am here to chat with Alley, a student who has continued to showcase her passion, joy, perseverance, and drive towards growing and exploring new styles of dance. She has been able to show her authenticity through her movements while giving a refreshing and calm personality through it all while attending Elemental Studios.

Before we get into the interview, let's learn a little bit about Alley, shall we?

"Hey Friends! My name is Alley! I am from Florida, but have lived out here in Colorado since 2017. By day, I am a data scientist in the aerospace industry, but that is boring compared to what I do at night.  Over the years, I've had many hobbies, like swimming, taekwondo, and playing the flute. I started doing Zumba and hip-hop cardio in 2010 and fell in love with dancing. 

Over time, I became a Zumba instructor, but I felt like I'd hit a ceiling. I wanted to grow as a dancer at this point in my life. After being rejected a few times at other studios, it was time to take my own journey by the reins and work on my own path. Instead of comparing myself to others or trying to dance a certain way, I felt the pull to try to find my own style and who I am as a dancer. This is what brought me to Elemental."

Let's get into the interview!

1. How did you find out about Elemental Studios?

Alley: "Honestly, it was their social media presence that first caught my eye. Their content kept popping up on my feed, and some other dancers that I know of follow them. I was looking for a new place to continue my dance journey at, and so, it all began!"

2. What was your 1st class at Elemental Studios and what was that experience like for you?

Alley: "My first class was Nicki's Beginner K-pop class. The song was "Do It" by Stray Kids, and the experience was symbolic for me. At the time, I didn't know that teachers post their songs ahead of time on their stories! I just went because I was (a) looking for something new and (b) I chose K-pop to start specifically because I was working on choreography for my wedding dance to a K-pop song! How fitting to learn more about that style of dance first. Being nervous about going to a new studio, I just had to "do it" and go to class. Coming from a big fish in a small pond to a small fish in a big pond is always intimidating, but I was welcomed with open arms at the studio. Students and teachers introduced themselves, asked about my background, and really made the experience less nerve-racking. It made all the difference in helping me feel comfortable enough to keep coming back."

3. What was a dance style that you have felt that you have grown in the most and why?

Alley: "Hip-Hop and K-pop are the two styles I've gravitated toward and grown the most in. I actually did a beginner-level hip-hop class for about 5 years before finding Elemental. For a long time, I stayed at this beginner level, and I didn't realize that I plateaued until I experienced the Intermediate Hip-Hop Class that Yella teaches. Coming into a space that emphasized vocabulary, technique, and history has changed everything for me. Understanding where a move comes from and why it's done a certain way made me a more intentional dancer.

K-Pop pushed my growth in a similar way, just from a different angle. Since I started that style as a brand new dancer at Elemental, I have been able to see my progress and growth in real time. What's been really interesting for me is how my background in taekwondo has started to resurface through K-pop. I've trained for over 20 years, and the sharp lines, controlled power, and precision that were drilled into me on the mat are showing up in the way I hit choreography. It has been refreshing, because I was always told I was too robotic in other dance styles. But in K-pop, that precision is what exactly the style calls for. For the first time, what used to feel like a limitation actually feels like a strength."

4. What do you look forward to the most when coming to Elemental Studios?

Alley: "I always look forward to learning something new! Even if I have had a bad brain day and can't quite retain the choreography, or if I am just tired, I am still excited for class. I look forward to the high energy, the smiling faces of the people I know, and the hope to making new friends during class that day!"

5.  Do you have any favorite classes at the moment? If so, what are they?

Alley: "I have many favorite classes! I love Nicki's K-pop classes, Yella's Hip-Hop Classes, Serina's Baddies in Sneakers class, and there was a partner floorwork class that I brought my husband to, taught by Nova and Sofia that was a memorable pop-up that I HAD to mention. ;)"

6. Do you have any dance goals for yourself this year?

Alley: "As the 2026 year comes to an end, and the 2027 year begins, my major dance goal is to gain enough confidence and choreo retention that I get selected to do a solo dance video!"

7. What is a fun random fact about you?

Alley: "I am a total nerd at heart. Anime, Disney, Video Games, you name it, I probably like it. :P"

8. What keeps you motivated when coming to classes that challenge you?

Alley: "Honestly, it's personal. I want to prove to myself that I can keep growing as a dancer. Past experiences have taught me that being challenged is actually a good thing. Knowing that I am actively trying harder now than I ever did in the past keeps me motivated to look back after a long period of time passes by, and seeing that growth for myself, even if the results are not shown in the moment."

9. How do you think that you have improved since going to classes at Elemental Studios?

Alley: "The biggest shift for me has been understanding the difference between real dancing and just stepping through choreography. I didn't understand the culture, the history, or the respect that goes into each style. I have respect for the teachers at the studio because they are like the subject matter experts in their class. It is inspiring to see how they continue to train and lead by example. Learning from those subject matter experts has a direct impact on the way that I have improved since going to Elemental Studios."

10. If you were to describe Elemental Studios to someone who was interested, but wasn't sure, what would you say?

Alley: "I'd say don't let the big classes or huge social media presence intimidate you. It's easy to look at Instagram and feel like you would be walking into something too polished or too big to fit in. But the reality here is that Elemental Studios is a really cool place to be, and once you push past the hesitation and "just do it", you'll realize it is just as welcoming as it is impressive." 

Thank you to Alley for taking the time to interview with me. I really enjoyed getting to know you and your passion and love for dancing, and your continued journey at the studio. Make sure to say hi to Alley if you happen to ever see her in class and I will see you all in the next interview!