Free State alum of 2015 Ally Waller was recently featured in the trending music video “Anxiety” by Doechii as a backup dancer. Waller began competitive dance at age five, and she graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor’s Degree of Fine Arts in Dance. Since then, Waller has moved to Los Angeles and said she loved the opportunity of performing in the Doechii music video, specifically the rehearsals and choreography team.
“I knew this music video was going to be major, so I was so honored to be a part of it all,” Ally Waller said. “Shoot day is so exciting because you get to meet the artist and are surrounded by all the cameras, but rehearsals are the heart of the job.”
Waller also said biology teacher Kelly Barah and English teacher Elaine Hendrickson were mentors and favorite teachers of hers, and she still keeps in touch with both of them.
“[Barah and Hendrickson] both let me be me. I talked a lot, probably a little too much, and they both let me express myself without judgement,” Ally Waller said. “They also both listened to me, which is so important at that age to know that adults hear you and take your input into consideration.”
Hendrickson, who taught Ally Waller for two years, said it has been wonderful getting to see Waller grow as a performer and that encouraging her came easily.
“She was a leader. She was driven, and she was also a lot of fun… She’s just so easy to be proud of and cheer for, which I think is more an Ally thing than a me thing,“ Hendrickson said.
Ally Waller’s younger sister and fellow dancer junior Arianna Waller said that she and her family were so excited for Ally Waller when she got the part in the music video, and that they’ve always been very close. Arianna said she had several favorite parts to the video, one being the homage to Gotye, who’s hit song “Somebody That I Used To Know” was sampled in Doechii’s “Anxiety.”
“The Anxiety back track is a sample from “Somebody That I Used To Know,” and they made a reference to the cover of the track in it. That was pretty cool to see,” Ari Waller said.
Ari Waller also said she enjoyed seeing her sister achieving her goals, as both her and her two sisters dance consistently.
“I remember her first photo shoots in 2022, and it’s really inspirational to see how much she’s grown from when she first moved to now…It’s really exciting to see as her little sister,” Ari Waller said.
