Recently, I sat down with AOSE Alumni, Miss Erin Dowd, who currently teaches dance at the Academy. During her time on campus, she developed many fond memories. Her most fond being her Junior year calendar party, which had the theme of the summer carnival from Grease. She was also very active in school extracurriculars such as the Yearbook Committee, Prom Committee, National Honor Society, and Ice Skating Club. She was involved in student government, and was even the Senior Class President. 

In her senior year, Miss Erin Dowd and her friends founded the AOSE baking club! Miss O’Rourke was their moderator, and they would have fun activities such as baking contests in the club. She actually did not dance at the Academy because there was no program, however there was a class. It was part of the theater program and was taught by the theater teacher.

Miss Erin Dowd is still in touch with many of her friends from the Academy today. In fact, her current roommate is also an alumni. For Miss Dowd’s graduating class, there has only been one reunion, the ten year reunion, which she organized. After graduating, she went on to the art school at Rutgers University – Mason Gross School of the Arts – where she majored in dance and psychology. Now, outside of dance, she works in an office doing invoicing and office management. Miss Erin Dowd continues to encapsulate the spirit of dance at the school for ongoing classes and we’re very lucky to have her!