Dancer Spotlight: An Interview with Paige Woiner

By Alyssa Cichy
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Dance Organization: Vole` Ballet Club
Hometown: Monroeville, PA
Year/Major: Junior, Broadcast Journalism major & English minor

What other clubs and organizations are you involved in on campus?
On campus, I am involved with a few different clubs and organizations. I am a reporter for The Daily Collegian, and I am a news editor for Panorama. For THON 2016, I was involved with Atlas For The Kids, and I was a production assistant for 46 LIVE, the live webcast of THON weekend.

What career do you hope to pursue in the future?
After I graduate, I hope to become a news producer at a television news station. I've been interested in writing and photography from a young age, and it turned into my love of journalism today. 

What do you love most about dance?
I love that dance can tell a story without saying anything at all. It's truly such a beautiful art form that can inspire people. I love being able to step on stage and portray a story to the audience, whether it be a happy or sad one. Dance is also just so fun and rewarding. I love entertaining people, learning fun choreography, and being part of a team. For me, there's not many feelings that compare to finishing a dance and hearing the roar of the audience.

What is your favorite style of dance?
I can never decide between contemporary and hip hop as my favorite style. Both allow me to have a ton of emotion and personality. Contemporary is usually more serious and deep, while hip hop is usually fun and light-hearted. So, it's a nice mix of emotions. 

How do you describe yourself as a dancer?
I would describe myself as a very emotional and passionate dancer. I really invest myself in the story of the piece, and I try to act a lot when I dance. Whether it's how hard I hit a move, or the looks on my face, I hope I can make people feel something and understand the story when they watch me dance. 

As a transfer student from Penn State Erie, how did you hear about Vole` and why did you decide to join? 
I heard about Vole` at the Fall 2015 Involvement Fair. I joined because the club is very diverse and allows me to dance many different styles, not just ballet. I also joined because the executive members were so kind and welcoming to me as a new student searching for a place to continue my passion. 

What's your favorite part about being a Vole` dancer?
There are so many reasons why I love being a Vole` dancer, but one of the main ones is that I have met so many amazing people through the club. Vole` isn't like most other dance organizations; Vole` accepts everyone despite the amount of experience you have. Everyone, no matter what level of experience, has the chance to perform in the semester showcases and take technique classes. Because of this, the club is filled with so many awesome dancers with multiple different backgrounds and experience levels.

What was your favorite memory as a Vole` performer?
One of my favorite memories with the Vole` performance company was our THON 2016 performance. This was my very first THON as a Penn State student. The performance was at 4:00 AM on the Saturday of THON. We were all kind of delusional and tired, but the performance still turned out great. It was a surreal experience getting to dance on that stage in front of thousands of people for such an amazing cause. 

What's coming up for Vole`?
Vole’s spring showcase entitled "Vole Love" will be held on April 24th at 2:30 PM in Schwab Auditorium. The show will include many different dances of varying styles including ballet, jazz, hip hop, tap, contemporary, and more! Admission is free.

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