Experienced dancer, English teacher, Andra Macomber, lies behind the walls of the S-building with an intense love for the arts and lives by seizing her days as if they were her last.
The educator’s passion unexpectedly crept up during her youth when her parents made the decision to enroll her in Fox Studios, a local dance studio.
“My parents wanted me to find something to do because we lived on a street where there weren’t a lot of kids,” Macomber said, “so they wanted me to be involved in something where I could make more friends.”
The academy held the young girl’s heart captive, and intensified her passion of the arts for years to come.
“From the first day I was there I was hooked, and after that I knew I had to be in dance,” Macomber said.
Once she stepped foot into the world full of grace and coordination, the dedicated performer spent her childhood dancing in the studio and became infatuated with the art form. After spending her adolescence discovering different forms of dance and the satisfaction it provided her with, college awaited her, and the then 20-year-old was whisked away into the real world. She left the small dance location and began a separate life joining the students at UC Irvine; nonetheless, she returned and began to teach the thing she loved most: dancing.
Sophia Vielma, 9,was surprised to hear about her first period teacher’s passion but thought it was a great way for her English mentor to spend her time.
“She’s never mentioned it in class, but it’s interesting,” Vielma said. “I knew that teaching was something she loved, you can tell, but dancing I wouldn’t have ever guessed.”
Aside from dancing, the performer took interest in singing and decided to audition for the talented broadcast, the X Factor. The now high-rating program had just made its debut on U.S. television, and the dancer decided to showcase her voice as well as her talent. The versatile entertainer admitted that it was done on a whim, and she realized if she didn’t snatch the opportunity, she would grow to regret it.
Gabriela Ramirez, 11, was surprised to hear about the hushed audition and found common ground with her English teacher.
“I think it’s really crazy but cool at the same time, knowing your teacher has gone through something like that; it’s awesome,” Ramirez said. “It’s inspirational because I dance too.”
Macomber felt that the process was brutal; she had a sore throat during her audition.
“It was this whole big process, not like the t.v. made it out to be,” Macomber said. “It’s waiting long hours and not being able to do anything about it. At one point I fell asleep.”
Macomber’s years of dancing also granted her life-long lessons and she appreciates all that its been able to teach her.
“It’s been a part of my life forever, and its made me a more disciplined person,” Macomber said. “If I want to achieve a goal, I work hard and fight for it.”
The talented instructor takes pride in living her days full of risks and living on the edge.
“It’s good to take risks and take chances, it makes life interesting,” Macomber said. “The whole getting nervous thing is good; nerves are good.”
Auditioning days seem to be over for the arts performing lover, but dancing remains a part of her past, present, and future; taking hold of the day as both a dancer and a teacher is what the talented soul lives by.
