Arlyssa Moaning may be captain of the Gold Line dance team for a second season in a row.  

While head coach Emily Snow hasn’t announced the 2018-19 captain yet, Moaning already has two years of experience in the position, in high school and at Texas Wesleyan, and high hopes. 

Moaning, a junior biology major at Texas Wesleyan, was one of the captains on the Gold Line dance team for the 2017-2018 season.  

She started dancing in 2011, her freshman year of high school, when she was 14 years old.  

“I took a dance class my freshman year,” Moaning said, “then tried out for the dance/drill team, which I was a part of my sophomore through senior year.” 

Moaning graduated from Crowley High School and began attending Texas Wesleyan in fall of 2015. She says she picked Wesleyan because it’s close to home, and because it’s small.  

“The Smaller. Smarter. environment pulled me in,” Moaning said.  

After she graduates, she plans to pursue a master’s degree in forensics at the University of North Texas.

While Moaning has a talent for dance, she said her siblings don’t seem to share the talent. 

“My brother has absolutely no rhythm,” she said. 

While Moaning does like dancing, her has other hobbies.

“I really love listening to music and also reading to pass the time, in my free time,” Moaning said. 

She has just recently become a part of the public relations committee in the Black Student Association. She believes in making a change in any way she can. 

“I want to be able to make a difference at this university,” Moaning said, “even if it is something small.” 

When she tried out for the up-and-coming Gold Line dance team in 2015, Snow recognized her leadership abilities and appointed her captain. 

“I guess coach Snow saw that people gravitate towards me,” Moaning said.  

She was also the captain of her high school drill team her senior year of high school and her leadership skills have continued to grow since then. 

“Arlyssa is a great captain because she is a natural leader and is always so motivating in getting us to the 6 a.m. practices and anything else that is going on,” freshman theater major and Gold Line dancer Delaney Pricer said. 

Snow said Arlyssa fit what she was looking for in a captain. 

“I just need someone who shows the most dedication and will be an informational leader,” Snow said, “and by that, I mean someone who will be in charge of telling the team when practices and show times are and making sure they get there in time.” 

Moaning’s leadership abilities showed, when the Gold Line dance team placed third runner-up in their hip-hop dance routine and placed fourth runner-up in their jazz routine at the ADTS National Dance Competition at the University of North Texas in March.  

Moaning wants to continue challenging herself in competition next year.

“I did not perform a solo at the ADTS National Competition, but I’m looking forward to maybe performing one next year,” Moaning said. 

As for the upcoming Gold Line dance season, she is most looking forward to football season because she said she loves the thrill of performing for the entire stadium during the halftime show.  

“I am also looking forward to this program growing and succeeding in both the number of members,” Moaning said, “as well as the amount of skill and talent that we will learn from coach Snow and from each other as a team.”