ALES Regional Dance
On Saturday night, Jan. 27 at 8:30 p.m., Exonians flocked to Grainger Auditorium for the annual ALES Dance. Strobe lights and glow sticks illuminated the dark room as students danced to DJ Jasmine Solano’s playlist. Students from three other regional preparatory schools—Phillips Academy Andover, St. Paul’s and Concord Academy—joined Exonians in a celebration of African-American and Latinx culture by dancing and singing along to songs from a diverse pool of artists.
The ALES (African/Latino Exonian Society) board began preparing for the dance at the start of winter term. They contacted DJ Solano, an international music influencer who has previously been a DJ at Dunbar Hall’s Back in Black dance.
Assistant Director of Student Activities Kelly McGahie, who worked with the board to set up the dance, commented that the school has been working with Solano since 2010. Aside from her “incredible club DJ skill set,” McGahie appreciated the fact that Solano is “one of the only female DJs that I know... I think it is particularly appropriate for ALES because we’re requesting black and brown artists, but we also have a biracial DJ.” The diversity of the students who attended, the songs and the DJ’s representation the African-American and Latinx community had allowed the dance to live up to expectations.
“My favorite part was being [in] a huge community that’s just having fun and dancing to good music.”
The ALES board coordinated a playlist consisting of popular songs and different musical styles, such as hip-hop and reggaeton, highlighting African-American and Latinx artists. The result was a night filled with booming rhythms and great dancing. McGahie mentioned how successful the ALES board had been in contacting other schools in comparison to other years, saying that, “this year was one of the most successful years in terms of getting other schools to attend.” Exonians and other boarding school students bonded throughout the night, dancing to the upbeat music and enjoying snacks provided by ALES. Senior Cristina Gonzalez described the theme of the dance as “black and gold with music from the 2000s to now.” This dynamic added to the night’s lively ambiance and created great photo opportunities.
The annual ALES Dance allows Exonians and affinity groups from other schools to join together and celebrate their identities. However, the dance is not limited to students from affinity groups, opening up to students of all races in order to showcase the culture of African-American and Latinx people. “For me, the purpose of the dance is to celebrate the music of Africans, African-Americans and Latinos to give those students a chance at celebrating and sharing that part of their culture, which is a rare opportunity here at Exeter,” said lower and ALES board member Nicole Blanco.
Students’ reactions to the ALES dance were overwhelmingly positive; many even referred to it as one of their favorite dances of the school year. Upper Raj Das said, “The music was incredible. Overall, I know that it was a great experience for a lot of people.” The high-energy atmosphere shaped the experience for students and created an eventful night. The mix of students from Concord Academy, St. Paul’s and Andover also allowed for students to form better interscholastic relationships. Lower Leah Delacruz appreciated the communal aspect of the dance and said that the diverse music made it “different and better.”
The dance was a unique experience for Exeter students. It became a place for students of color from different schools to interact and bond through dancing. Various students felt that more dances like the ALES dance should occur throughout the year.
Prep Senai Robinson described how the sense of community and exposure to current songs of different genres made the ALES dance stand out from many others, saying, “My favorite part was being [in] a huge community that’s just having fun and dancing to good music.”