Alexandria, goes by Allie and Alex, Alletto rst came to Aquinas as a freshman. Her parents, Pat and Linda, sent her rst to Siena Catholic Academy for middle school, now closed, but were excited for her to begin a new chapter at Aquinas. Although Allie had her reservations, originally wanting to go to Our Lady of Mercy because the majority of her middle school friends had transferred there, she says attending Aquinas was one of the greatest blessings God had graced her with. From the time she was born, Allie was always on the move, “I always loved to perform and be in front of people, so I thought, taking dance is the perfect excuse to get me away from a desk and out of my seat.” She had only ever danced from the ages of 3 to 8, but she needed an elective to take her freshman year and if it got her moving, her thought was, “sign me up!” What started as Intro to Dance, an elective course, quickly grew to her involvement in the Aquinas Theatre Program’s musicals and plays; Aquinas Athletics as a cheerleader and member of the Track & Field Team; as well as her active roles in Women’s Leadership and as a Peer Minister. Allie wanted to get involved with as many programs, extracurricular activities and sports as she could. She touts it was all because of her introduction to dance class. She describes the Aquinas Performing Arts Program as a community. A community that carried outside of the classroom. “Not only did we get to move and dance and ow and express ourselves, we all felt like we could tell our story. We all felt connected despite our di erent backgrounds. It was like, we all may be di erent – jocks, artists, writers, scholars – but when meshed in one space together, our talents and spirits intertwine. It was a safe space to feel accepted and to be seen. If I ever had a bad day, I’d come to class and my whole perspective would shift. It was an opportunity during my school day where I could just let go,” describes Allie. “The curriculum allowed for it too,” said Ms. Brett, Allie’s dance teacher and creator of the Aquinas Dance Program. “The beauty about the dance program was, you didn’t have to be an experienced dancer to take class. I had male and female athletes enroll because it would help them with their exibility. I had kids with no prior passion in dance take class and learn to love it. The program wasn’t just about the performance, it was an education. You were taught history, dance elements, how to use props, and how to collaborate with other students.” Ms. Brett worked at Aquinas from 2005 to 2017, and in her time, she worked with other teachers and sta from other departments. One year, she teamed up with Mr. Jim Shook, English Teacher, whose students wrote compelling entries that were then used as inspiration for the dance students’ creative pieces performed at the Dance Concert. She also collaborated with Ms. Virginia Malone, Art Teacher, whose students designed and created the long, painted silk used in Chasing Water. Allie attributes her accomplishments in life after high school to the Aquinas Performing Arts Program. Shockingly, she does not speak of the skills she acquired – which are quite amazing – but rather, on the level of con dence she gained, “I was taught how to grow a following in the dance and athletic community outside of the classroom. It opened the door to a new world of creativity and passion.” She became involved in projects and programs outside of school, rst as a dancer in the Rochester Fringe Festival to attending Stomp Performances downtown where she joined in on the fun. “The program gave me the tools, and in turn, I chose to use them.” After graduating, Allie studied dance at SUNY Brockport for two years before transferring to the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. She received a bachelor of ne arts degree (BFA) in dance with honors before journeying to New York City where she landed an audition for ClancyWorks Dance Company and got in. So, it was o to Washington, D.C. During her time in ClancyWorks, Allie explored human relationships, relevant social issues, cultural identity, and communication patterns within unique partnering and dynamic movement based on architectural constructs, physicality and empowering imagery. Today, she wears many hats, “I am a dance instructor for AutismUp! The organization supports individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their families, by expanding and enhancing opportunities to improve quality of life. Although, I must admit, my students improve my quality of life tenfold,” shares Allie. “I teach students of di erent backgrounds, di erent ages, and di erent skillsets, but who all come to dance! I think Aquinas helped instill in me the true power dance can have on a person – dance is an outlet, a means of expression when we may not be able to express ourselves verbally.” Allie also teaches a variety of di erent classes at M/Body, is a member of 25 North Dance, and most recently, was named a Lululemon Ambassador. Staying connected in the performing arts and Rochester community after her time at Aquinas came easy to her. Allie has participated in the Rochester Red Wings Mindful Moments as a motivational speaker, has walked, or rather, danced her way on the runway during multiple Rochester Fashion Shows, and has participated in over ten Fringe Festivals, to name a few. “I don’t want to ever imagine my life had it not been for the Aquinas Performing Arts Program,” explains Allie. “It brought out a side of me that was lurking but in need of some direction. I’d like to tell Aquinas students to get involved in everything! Do all the things because you don’t know what you like until you try it. Always say yes, nothing is permanent. I’d like to tell them, you got this!” There’s no denying, Allie is a performer. Whether she is dancing on stage, teaching a class, or walking down the street in a strut with her pup Ozzie, dance ows freely through her body like an ocean wave. It was because of the dance program that she began to trust herself, that she could do hard things, that she could become comfortable in the uncomfortable. This perspective followed her through her time at Aquinas, enrolling in public speaking classes – something she was always afraid of – so that she could practice and become better. It followed her onto college, taking a leap of faith as she moved from Rochester to Philadelphia. And it continues to follow her in her adult life as she aspires to become a Peloton instructor, just one of the many goals she aspires to accomplish. YOU CAN FIND ALLIE ON SOCIAL MEDIA: @alex_alletto @allie.alletto Aquinas Performing Arts: Shaping Bright Futures How di erently do you think your life would be if you had never participated in the Aquinas Performing Arts program, or rather, if the program never existed? “I can’t even imagine. No, I don’t want to imagine.” ALLIE ALLETTO ’13 “The Aquinas Dance Concert was my Super Bowl.” ALLIE ALLETTO ’13 the arts come alive 10 AQUINAS LANDMARK | SUMMER 2024
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTcyNDA=