Alumni

We love our Alumni! If you are one and would like us to have updates on what you’re up to, please email Elise, the President of External Affairs. Also let her know if you would like to receive periodic emails on club happenings and events.

Updates

From Melissa Kahn, President and Club Founder:

I quit my job at Sotheby’s New York in December to return back home to Los Angeles.  The quarter-life crisis has been liberating!  New York was wonderful, but LA is where I hope to see myself for the long term.  Happily, I had my lovely childhood bedroom waiting for me here.

I’m taking some time off to reinvent myself and hope to start doing some personal management work in LA (taking on private clients who need help to manage their homes, plan parties and social events, assistance with building or liquidating an art collection, etc.).  Basically an endeavor that would let me do the lifestyle things that I enjoy doing for myself, but for other people.

Since I had the time to do it, I just returned from a vacation to South America, where I enjoyed Tango in Buenos Aires (sooo different from our Ballroom tangos!) and Samba in Rio.  I also danced in several country bars at the tip of the world, in Argentine Patagonia.  Aside from the songs being in Spanish, one could have mistaken these places for the a local watering hole in Texas where everyone danced until 4am, then headed out to the Glaciers!

Back in LA, I have found a great old studio in an Elk’s Club building in Koreatown.  It’s called Westmor Ballroom and has some very reasonable lessons on Sunday afternoons.  I took several years off from dancing when I was in NY, since it always seemed to require more money or time than I had available.  It feels great to get back in my heels and be on the dance floor again!

I am always jealous when I see the wonderful club updates you keep coming our way.  Your dance and social events look amazing, and I’m so proud of what you continue to accomplish at UVA.  These are skills and friendships you will carry with you for life!  Please know that you will always have a friend and dance partner in Los Angeles, and I hope to visit you all in Virginia soon!  Class of ‘03 Alums–you’ll definitely see me at Reunions in June!

Much Ballroom Love,

Melissa

From Andrea Ker, Co-President 2003:
I recently had dinner with Sara Lewis (Co-President 2003) and Alexis Brewer (President 2004) at the Melting Pot! It was a lot of fun and we had a good time catching up with each other. I have not danced much since graduating in 2004, but I did get married and bought a house in Woodbridge, VA in June 2005. My husband, Kevin Ker, and I both work as Software Testers for American Systems in Rosslyn, VA. I also bartend part-time at a local country club. We are enjoying family and friends and making plans to do more traveling in the next few years.

From Ganesh Pai (’02, ‘07)
Greetings from Germany and the Rhineland! It has been almost an year since I moved here for work. Germany, and Europe in general, is a fascinating and exciting place to live; there’s lots of places to travel to, things to see and do. Although I’ve had a chance to dance a little bit here, it’s not been the same as it was with UVA Ballroom. Indeed, I miss having my Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday evenings (AND sometimes Sundays) scheduled for ballroom. Looking back, I dare say that some of my fondest  memories at UVA and many of my best friends are from the UVA Ballroom Dance Club. I’m so pleased to see that the club, and the camaraderie of its members, is continuing as strongly as it did when I was a member. As they say here, viel Glück und viel Spaß! (good luck and have fun!)

PS. The Rhine river cruise-boats are a killer place to have a ballroom bump ‘n grind party!

Honor Roll for Donations 2008

We would like to express thanks and our deepest gratitude to:
Andrea Ker
Melissa Kahn
Kate Rothrock & the Rhapsody Ballet Ensemble