Today we’d like to introduce you to Latesha Alexander
Hi LaTesha, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
The Diva University is an elite dance program that was created by Tesha Alexander and Coryelle Scott, and dedicated in the memory of our late grandmothers. Tesha, Coach T, and Coryelle, Coach Cory, had a vision to use our love for dance coupled with our years of experience to create a feeder program for HBCU dancelines. The network of The Diva University is now a dance auxiliary training and resource organization for students ages 3-18, that serves as the foundation for the development of majorette dancers. The program strives to teach our students to have discipline, integrity, values, and accountability in a space where they can still be creative through dance.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Our journey has not always been a smooth road. Over the course of the years, we struggled with finding a structure that was beneficial to all skill levels of dancers, one that parents found valuable financially, and also something that students found fun. Another major pain point has also been the struggle with retention in today’s society, and learning how to generate leads to effectively market our program.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
The Diva University is the largest majorette team in St. Louis and aims to provide its members with an outlet to express themselves, channel their emotions, and to direct their energy through dance. Our mission is to build confidence, self-awareness, character, life-long skills, and friendships in a fun and exciting way; all while teaching the importance of teamwork, performing arts, and dance technique. We take pride in our students living healthier and more active lifestyles, creating a space for them to less likely to engage in risky behavior; more likely to attend college, more likely to be impactful in their communities, more likely to be successful in school, and more likely to graduate from a post-secondary institution.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Not only are we working to become a feeder program to HBCU Dancelines, we are creating scholarships for our dancers to alleviate the financial burden that comes along with attending college. In the future, we plan to provide resources (more classes, scholarships, intensives, and performance experiences) in a larger space to accommodate all training for more students.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.TheDivaU.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedivauniversity?igsh=NG1sd3BvMW5oM2Fv
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/9AB7Ss9MaRGu1tWz/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@thedivauniversity?feature=shared
