Name: Christopher Adleson
Year: Senior
Major: Computer Engineering, Leadership Studies Minor
Hometown: Burke, VA
Campus Involvement: President of the break dance club Altered Xpressionz, Kappa Delta Rho fraternity
Photo Credit to Derrin Nelson
Tell me about Altered Xpressionz. “The club has been around for either 11 or 12 years and I became president my sophomore year. I joined my freshman year. It’s the members who make up the club and it’s really dependent on who wants to do things. It’s really flexible. We’re just a bunch of people who like to dance and have fun. We don’t really compete. Eventually it would be awesome if we got that many people and we started competing in things like that. We just try to encourage people to come out, even if they have no dance experience. I like teaching people and people are like, ‘Hey, I’ve always wanted to breakdance but I’ve never had the courage to do it.’ That’s the kind of person I like to try to get to come out because a lot of people have the ability and the potential but they just don’t have the right place to do it or the encouragement needed to try it.”
How did you get involved in breakdancing? “It was in my sophomore year in high school and it was my birthday and I think I just started looking at videos on YouTube. I guess that’s when I first started. I kind of saw things about it before. I dabbled with it in high school, but I didn’t take it as seriously as I do now. In college I was hoping there would be a club, and there was a club. When people ask how long I’ve been dancing I typically say about three years, because I really started the summer before college.”
What other ways do you express yourself besides dancing? “Through any creative outlet. I like to build and design things. I was in theater in high school and I tried a little when I got to CNU. But really through any medium where I feel I can kind of add my own creative twist to it, specifically building and designing things is what I really enjoy.”
What’s a typical day like for you? “A typical day… Probably struggling to get up is the first step. I have a thousand things I’m doing typically. Especially this year, I’m trying my best to stay on top of things and stay scheduled, so I usually go to the reminders I have set on my phone, check everything I haven’t done yet, add everything I need to do to it. I’m usually either constantly texting or messaging people. This past weekend was Breaking Free, and now that that’s over with, I have a lot more time to be busy with other things, which is nice. Usually besides class, when I have time in between, I’m either catching up on classwork or planning other breakdance events. In the evenings when we have breakdance I will be teaching people and having fun. We have locals come as well and dance with us. I’m also starting private sessions with people who want to work on a specific skill or get better at something. It’s fun because it helps people branch out more.”
Who influences you? “I am influenced by leaders that give their all to something, while at the same time remaining humble – Paul Trible is a good example of that. One of my inspirations is Bill Nye; he’s one of my favorite people that I look up to. I want to get him to come speak at our graduation. I apply that same style when I’m leading things, like with the breakdance club. I try to leave everything on the mat. I don’t believe in doing something partially, because why do it at all?”
What show would you recommend for a Netflix binge? “It really depends on what you’re into. ‘Breaking Bad’ is a good one. ‘Breaking Bad’ or ‘The Walking Dead.’ The ‘Walking Dead’ mostly because it leaves you wanting more, in the sense that you feel like the episode wasn’t finished so you want to keep watching it. ‘Breaking Bad’ is just a really good show.”
Photo Credit to Derrin Nelson