Allie's History

I am Allie Rick and I am currently studying dance at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. My passion for dance began at the ripe age of three when I began taking dance classes at a local dance studio. Throughout elementary school, my studies intensified and I began to learn the basics of dance styles such as ballet, modern, jazz, tap, and hip hop. When I was about 7 I decided that along with training at the studio, I wanted to join the competitive group in the studio that travelled to different dance competitions around the country. I remember my mindset at that young age being that I wanted to learn as much about the basic technique of as many styles as possible. I am so thankful that I got to train starting at such a young age, but due to financial issues, I had to leave the studio and taking dance classes after 8^th grade. I continued to dance through high school by taking part in the high school pom pon team and performing at my high school. Although it did not consist of training in technique as intensely as I had in the past, it kept me in shape and flexible. The choice to stop training in dance in high school was one of the toughest decisions I had to make, but due to the circumstances, I had to do it for the sake of my family.

After I graduated high school I decided to attend the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee with the intention of majoring in Communication. I have always had a passion for talking and communicating with others and thought that studying communication would make me happy. It didn’t; something was missing. Dance. I decided to audition for the dance department my second semester at school, and it was definitely the right choice in hindsight. I am finally doing what I love again and learning more and more about what dance means to me. From an excerpt of a paper I recently wrote about what dance means:

“To me, dance isn’t just what I do, it’s who I am. Dance isn’t solely an art form; but a lifestyle, a best friend, a mentor, and a continuous journey that allows me to grow and create the person that I am today and who I will be in the future. Unlike many things in life, dance is non-perishable and produces feelings and emotions that no one could ever take away from me. It is always there to lift me up on a bad day, listen to my story, and share it with an audience without any words. Dance is my notebook where I record my life; my laboratory where I discover my inner-self; and my home where I am happy and at peace. Dance is a thrill and an excitement that never gets old, boring, or tired; there is always a new goal to obtain. Dance is my language that allows me to communicate with the world and opens the door to many experiences and opportunities.”

I want to further develop technique and an understanding of dance in the next year that I am hear and carry that out into my career after UW-Milwaukee. Dealing with the obstacles and the triumphs life throws at you really inspires me in my movement, and I plan to make a piece that describes that feeling and connection for my senior project. I am ready to soak in as much as I can to be the best dancer I can be.