OUR MISSION STATEMENT
UConn Ballroom Dance is an inclusive community of people who love ballroom dancing and encourage any and every one to give it a try! As such, we strive to provide a supportive environment for members (students and non-students alike) to learn about and explore ballroom through affordable beginner-friendly lessons, social events, and optional competition opportunities. We at UConn Ballroom believe everyone deserves a chance to experience the benefits of this uniquely social hobby and the way it combines an outlet for creative expression, a fun way to exercise, and a great way to make connections and long-lasting memories!
There are so many people that make this amazing community possible: from our instructors who teach us all the fancy moves to our Board who works to make sure we have this space to enjoy what we love. We wouldn't be what we are today without them, and we are always excited when new members show interest in helping to keep UConn Ballroom going!
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Nastia, she/they, junior, CSE & Chemistry double major. Besides ballroom dancing I also enjoy art, music, and cute makeup. Fun fact about me is that I'm wholeheartedly a punk rock fan!
Theo is a sophomore majoring in Computer Science and Physics, and joined UCONN Ballroom last year. Despite being new to the ballroom scene, they have always loved dance, and took ballet and jazz classes when they were younger. In their free time, Theo enjoys rock climbing, taking walks around campus, and spending time with friends. Their favorite dance is the waltz. Theo is super excited to help run the club this year and hopes to introduce more people to the world of ballroom!
If you are a Current Member and would like to run as UConn Ballroom Dance's Treasurer, please reach out to Nastia, our President, with any questions or interest during lessons/practice or via email at president@uconnballroomdance.com!
(Please note, only Undergraduates are eligible to run for this position per UCONN's club policies.)
Hello! I’m Rebecca! My pronouns are she/her and I am a sophomore. I’m majoring in special education, and my hobbies include reading, guitar and knitting/crochet. My favorite dance is the American chacha. I hope to see you all soon :-)
My name is Alyssa (she/her). I have been dancing for about 3 years and am the current team captain. I enjoy working with trees when I am not dancing and am an alumni of UConn. If you have any questions, problems, or concerns, feel free to reach out!
AD-HOC BOARD
Hi my name is Becky Chalmers, my pronouns are She/Her and I am a Uconn Alumni! I am a Professional Ballroom Dancer and Instructor and I love arts & crafting and wine making. A few of my Favorite dances are Viennese Waltz, Samba, Tango, Cha cha, and Rumba!
Hi! My name is Rachel, and I’m majoring in fashion! My pronouns are she/her and I’m a Junior at Uconn. I love fashion and I also play a bunch of video games! My two favorite dances are Samba and Viennese waltz (which I am still learning :,3) Can’t wait to meet you all!
Hi! My name is Deshauna Hammond! My pronouns are she/her. I am a UConn Alumni and currently work as an Insurance Examiner for the State of CT DOI. I have been with UConn Ballroom for 8 years now and have been a board member/instructor for the last 5. Outside of dance, I love to design and make dresses, and my favorite dances are Samba/Jive! Looking forward to meeting you all!
If you are a Current Member and would like to run as UConn Ballroom Dance's Videographer, please reach out to Nastia, our President, with any questions or interest during lessons/practice or via email at president@uconnballroomdance.com!
Nate Munic will be the club's Fundraising chair this year! He is a public community member whose parents are both UConn Alumni. He owns and operates The Friendly I.T. Guy LLC and is the President and Founder of Longmeadow Pride Alliance Inc. His diverse hobbies include private aviation, playing various musical instruments, playing PC games, Dungeons and Dragons, and collecting gems and minerals. His three favorite dances are Argentine Tango, Hustle, Swing, and Cha Cha.
Hey there! My name is Victoria (she/her), and I handle the design and updates for UConn Ballroom's website. I am an Open Latin dancer (my favorite dances are Rumba and Samba), and I've expanded into multiple dance styles in the past few years - freestyle, contemporary, and modern, to name a few. I've also delved heavily into improv dance, as I feel it's the doorway to some of the most authentic and freeing moments a dancer can experience.
Outside of dance, I am a freelance graphic designer/illustrator who also works on some original creative writing projects. I am a person of many hobbies, including fitness, art, notebook making, and reading, with my latest interests being Boxing and all things Sherlock Holmes.
I love seeing how an individual's passions translate to their lives and other hobbies, and I hope to inspire others to discover their true selves and what makes them happy!
Want to know more about our Board?
CLICK HERE to read our group's Constitution & By-Laws! We hold board elections every year and are always looking for members to find new ways to get involved!
BOARD ELECTIONS for the FALL 2023 year are to be held on February 27, 2023 (for the E-BOARD) and March 6, 2023 (for AD-HOC). If you would like to become involved as a board member, please feel free to contact any of our existing board members for more information on each position!
OUR INSTRUCTORS
Our UCBD Instructors are experienced dancers and professionally taught by our coaches Sara and Evgueni! They are the ones you will see most often, as they teach the lessons and are available for questions during open practices.
STEVEN CHICK
(He/Him)
Steven is a Husky Alumni, works as an electrical engineer, and has been with UCBD for the past 7 years. He’s been teaching ballroom for about 4 years and currently dances Open Latin and Smooth. His favorite dances are basically all of the Latin dances plus Viennese Waltz! Something he’s learned from ballroom, that he’s been able to apply to many areas of life, is the ability to take something that appears complicated on the surface and break it down piece by piece to gain a deeper understanding.
Steven loves being able to meet so many different people through UCBD, and, as a teacher, he enjoys when others are able to discover something new and how they continue to grow as dancers and individuals. Outside of ballroom, he enjoys video games, electronics, and cooking/baking. Fun fact: Steven can read and speak German, thanks to over 10 years of studying the language!
DESHAUNA HAMMOND
(She/Her/Hers)
Deshauna is a Husky Alumni, is currently working as a Field Examiner – CID, and dances Open Latin and Open Smooth (her favorite styles!). She has been with UCBD for 7 years and has been teaching ballroom for the last 4 years. Her favorite part about UCBD is its sense of friendship and community and how encouraging all the members are to each other. As a teacher, Deshauna loves watching people grow and learn and seeing the excitement in their eyes when they finally understand something they’ve been working on! She also loves the ability to help others on their dance journeys. As a ballroom dancer, she has learned that “Confidence is key. Go out in life, or onto the dance floor, like you own the place, and everyone will believe you.”
When she’s not dancing, Deshauna enjoys doing hair, sewing, and going to the beach. She also has an adorable cat named Tommy!
BECKY CHALMERS
(She/Her)
Becky has been with UCBD since Fall 2016 and has been teaching ballroom for the last 3-4 years. As a dancer, she is currently jumping to Open Smooth and Standard and dances Silver/Gold Rhythm and Latin. Her favorite style of dance is Smooth, but she particularly enjoys Viennese Waltz, Samba, Bachata, and Quickstep! She loves the complete and utter acceptance of everyone in UConn Ballroom Dance, and appreciates that all the members genuinely want to support and help each other grow. When asked what she’s learned from ballroom dance, she responded “Sometimes the traits we've always wanted to see in ourselves, were there all along. Turns out, you just need a little bit of encouragement to grow and build to who you want to be.”
Becky loves being able to teach and seeing the excitement when something clicks for whoever she might be helping. Outside of ballroom, she enjoys art, tabletop games, social dancing (both ballroom and other), sewing, baking, mead making, and even had seven years of martial arts before doing ballroom!
EDWARD MCMANUS
(He/Him)
Edward has been with UCBD since 2017 and is currently a Graduate student studying for his Physics PhD. He loves Standard, particularly Quickstep and Foxtrot, and is currently making the jump to Open in both Standard and Latin.
Edward loves the sense of comradery among UCBD dancers, especially during competitions, and, as an instructor, he enjoys when the students come to understand why certain moves are danced the way they are. Through ballroom, Edward has learned to have confidence and not second guess every decision.
A couple fun facts about Edward: he loves hiking in his free time and is a sword collector!