Over the years, dance at Archer has evolved from being one show, to several performances in a year, whether it be at pep rallies or in professional theaters. Dance director Andrea Locke spearheads Archer’s dance program and encourages joyful expression of movement in her classes. Locke has taught dance for 30 years and has been teaching at Archer since 2005.
As a former professional dancer, Locke uses her skills to create lesson plans and organize both the Night of Dance and Festival of Dance. Specifically, she teaches audition-only classes, oversees collaboration with outside choreographers and oversees Dance Troupe, which is available to any student after school.
The Oracle sat down with Locke to discuss her teaching style, professional career and how she uses her experience as a professional dancer at Archer.
What was your introduction to dance and how do you use your dance background to teach Archer dancers?
Andrea Locke [AL]: My introduction to dance was very spiritual and very connected internally. I had no dance training in a recreational environment. I was exposed to my ability to connect with the music, and the theme — I’ll never forget — was “Quiet Village,” and [the studio] allowed me to do a solo when I was 11 years old. And it was from that point that I connected and knew that dance was something I wanted. It allowed me to experience my sense of well-being in those moments that I was able to dance. Moving on from there, every opportunity I had, [whether it was] to be a cheerleader — I was a cheerleader — I took [the opportunity] to dance. My high school had a dance program that I was a part of, and I took that, and then I knew at that point that I wanted to pursue dance. The [college] I went to initially was UCSB, and they had a dance program. I was immediately put into a dance, a very spiritual kind of dance, with all these upperclassmen. I was a freshman at college, and that was my official dance training, so I came into dance [wanting] to be able to express myself from where I am, and I was able to do that. I always approached dance with my my love and passion for experiencing my life through movement and sharing it with an audience.
When you teach, what do you have in mind to share?
[AL]: I’ve been teaching almost 30 years because before I came to Archer, I was teaching boys and girls at Pilgrim School. If I’m teaching a jazz number or choreographing or teaching somebody how to do a pirouette or across the floor, chassé, whatever it is, it’s always, “Where are they, and how can I connect with where that student is?” so that that can help them take the step that they want to take — not what I want to take and I want to see. It was always interesting from teaching boys; it was very different. They always wanted to go beyond what they could do to show me … it was a different experience. Basically, when I say different experience, it was just the nature of where they are. Usually … girls [want] to hold back, sometimes for fear of making a mistake, and boys, never, especially eighth grade boys. My intention is to not always have people experience the same thing I did, but the joy of movement, the joy of dance, the joy of expression — that’s more of what I want to see [brought] out. And yes, the skills and technique are important, and I think when I first came to Archer, they were, I won’t say, less important — Ms. English and I made a pact, we wanted this program to develop so the girls would want to come here. As a result, it was more about my initial wanting girls to find the confidence, the empowerment and movement in themselves to be present as a human miracle embodiment in this universe.
What brings you the most joy when you see people dance, especially those who have never danced before?
[AL]: When I get chills and something resonates deep in my life that doesn’t connect with my head, but my heart — and usually it’s because they’ve connected to some area in their lives that was also beyond explanation or beyond words. That brings me the most joy. It’s this, “Aha,” that they feel about what they’ve done or what they’ve accomplished brings me the most joy. … What I’m setting out to do, which is to allow, especially girls, to find and be able to navigate their lives in a very empowering way as it relates to their bodies and their expression and who they are.
How did the dancers prepare for Festival of Dance, and how did the Archer community react to the show?
[AL]: Initially, Festival of Dance was for those girls who did not dance at Archer — it was like a showcase. It progressed and evolved as Archer Dance Company evolved, to the point that it was, “Wow let me do this, let me allow those girls who are really serious about dance to create their own dances.” The reaction is people just love to come and see what are the dancers going to do. Each class, everybody should present a proposal because I want girls who’ve never choreographed to maybe consider what might they create. Then, from there, they are able to create some movement and share it within their class for their class to vote. What do they want to have represent their class? With 60 girls in all the companies, we can’t have all the dances. Then, from there, everybody has to dance. The selections within each class, each company — everybody has to be a part of it, and then they rehearse during class. One of the things I’m trying to make sure happens is that, as they rehearse it, it just doesn’t become a thing of doing, but of them being and embodying what it is they they’re rehearsing. … To me, it’s a process. It’s a learning process that will stay with them forever, not necessarily what they did, but how they did it from the inside out.
Elizabeth English • May 20, 2025 at 11:46 am
Thank you for this beautiful feature on a beautiful person and teacher. Congratulations on twenty years of bringing out the best in our students through dance, Ms. Locke!