Dr. Alice Han is a visiting scholar from South Central University for Nationalities. Han has a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Wuhan University of China. Han is also recognized as the Professional Rising Star Standard Dance National Champion in ballroom dance.

When she first came to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville at the end of December, Han reached out to an assistant professor in the School of Business, Caryn Stanley, who  also acts as the faculty advisor for the Ballroom Dance Club at UW-Platteville.

“I just googled ‘ballroom dancing in Platteville,’ and I found Caryn,” Han said. “She met [with] me and we talked about ballroom dancing, and she talked about the Ballroom Dance Club.”

Han is working with the Ballroom Dance Club this semester in order to teach more techniques to the students in the club.

“It gives me the opportunity to continue to practice dancing, and to leave something of me here,” Han said.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for the students to learn from a national champion in dance,” Stanley said, who also competes in dance competitions in the area.

Han has been dancing professionally and competing for eight years.

“I started dance because it is interesting. It reminds me to never give up,” Han said. “I practice every day. As a student, you have to practice what you’re learning every day. As teachers, we practice by teaching every day. As a dancer, I have to practice dancing every day.”

Han and her colleagues are visiting scholars in the chemistry department as a part of a faculty training program, in order to learn different styles of teaching, as well as to improve their English skills. “I want to have a deeper understanding [of] American and Western culture, as well as [to] work on my English,” said Han. “I’m just lucky that I found people who like dancing here at UW-P [UW-Platteville].”