Dancing on Air

Despite her busy academic schedule, Katie Brown '11 always finds time to indulge in one of her passions—dancing. “When dancing, I feel like everything else, all my stress and worries, just melts away,” she says. 

Katie began dancing when she was three years-old and has learned a variety of styles over the years including ballet, jazz, and tap. By pursuing dance as her minor in addition to an English literature and English writing double major, Katie has been able to mix her love of dance with her academic interests.

Katie is a member of a student-run dance club on campus called TransPose Dance Collective. It is open to all dancers in the Saint Mary’s, Holy Cross, and Notre Dame community. “The classes offered by the club give students the opportunity to dance if they don’t have time to register for a class here at Saint Mary’s,” she says. She is responsible for choreographing the club’s dances for performances.

Katie is eager to share her love of dance with others. She teaches classes for kids at the Geneva Park District in Geneva, Ill., near her home of St. Charles, Ill. She teaches several different styles because, she says, there is dance style for everyone. “I love seeing how my students improve and how happy they are when they can finally do a triple pirouette or do a hard leap,” she says.

It’s no surprise that Katie plans on an active career in journalism or marketing and advertising. Her love of movement is reflected in her determination “to work with people, not spend all day working in a cubicle.” She says the College’s focus on the development of women and their talents prepares them to make a difference in the world. That’s her top priority—using her talents to make a positive impact on other people. Whether it’s teaching a seven year-old how to pirouette or reporting on world events, Katie feels confident she’ll be able to do that.

Her Saint Mary’s experience has shaped her confidence. “I have not only developed better writing and a comprehensive set of skills, but I have gained analytical and problem solving skills that will serve me well in any of these careers,” says Katie. “Honestly, I will be happy doing anything involving people and that makes a positive difference in the world.”

—Lauren DeBruce '11