Making Time For Ballroom Dancing
By Hailey D. ’26, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine student
Howdy everyone! My name is Hailey and I am a second-year veterinary student at Texas A&M University. A big hobby that I’ve had since I was a teenager is ballroom dancing. Dancing has been a big part of my life for about 10 years now and has helped me meet new people, learn tons of new dances/moves, and get some good exercise in!
Both my parents were avid country dancers and taught my brothers and I how to two-step and line dance. This quickly led to me finding a group of friends that went to swing dancing halls and getting more immersed in the culture of dancing and expanding my understanding of all the different styles of dance out there.
Once I came to Texas A&M University for undergrad, I was able to join the Texas A&M Ballroom Dance Association (TAMBDA) and continue to learn new styles of dancing.
Within this group, I was able to learn that there are two overarching categories that most dances fall within: smooth and Latin dances. Smooth dances include the waltz and foxtrot, while Latin dances include some of the stronger styles of dance like tango, rumba, and bolero.
Being involved with this organization led me to compete at different universities in Texas and helped my team place in many different categories of dance!
While I may not get to compete as often while I am in veterinary school, I still enjoy going to the dance halls with my friends and fiancé to dance the night away and get some exercise in.