Line Dance Connection:	What's your name? Do you have any dance nicknames that you're known by?
Ra’Chel Fowler:	My name is J. Ra’Chel Fowler and my dance nickname is Chellie Roll.
Line Dance Connection:	Where are you from and what city do you call home?
Ra’Chel Fowler:	I was born in Durham, North Carolina and currently reside in Durham.
Line Dance Connection:	What do you do in your professional life? Any hobbies outside of dance?
Ra’Chel Fowler:	I am a Certified Paralegal. Since I started line dancing I don’t get to indulge into any of my other hobbies as much as I would like. Two of my other hobbies include theater (one of my B.A. degrees is in theater and I traveled two years doing plays with Christopher Williams, Jacky Clark and Tamika Scott) and sewing.
Line Dance Connection:	So what do they call this dance craze in your home town? Line Dancing, Hustling, Sliding, Other?
Ra’Chel Fowler:	We call it Line Dancing.
Line Dance Connection:	Are you affiliated with any group or groups?
Ra’Chel Fowler:	Yes, D2BD – Dare 2B Different.
Line Dance Connection:	How long have you been dancing?
Ra’Chel Fowler:	I started dancing around 8 years of age, primarily modern dance and African dance. I performed in 3 African Dance Companies (AADE, Ayoluwa, Cultural Movement) throughout college and once out of college I primarily did liturgical dance and mime. I started line dancing June 2010 after I had my last child.
Line Dance Connection:	How did you get involved in dancing?
Ra’Chel Fowler:	I was introduced to dance in elementary school through Baba Chuck Davis of the African American Dance Ensemble (AADE). Baba Chuck exposed us to African dance, modern, jazz and ballet through his choreography and his classes. LOVE BABA CHUCK!
Line Dance Connection:	After you attended your very first class, how did you feel?
Ra’Chel Fowler:	I took my first line dance class with Leigh Williams and I felt great and eager to learn more.
Line Dance Connection:	How did you get into choreography?
Ra’Chel Fowler:	I started choreographing over 17 years ago when I was Director of the Arts Ministry of my former church. I started choreographing line dances after someone asked me to create a dance to one of their favorite songs.
Line Dance Connection:	How many dances have you created and what was the very first dance you created?
Ra’Chel Fowler:	I have created 8 dances and collaborated on 3 dances. The first dance I actually created was “Run That” but the first one that I made public was “Spotlight”!
Line Dance Connection:	Of all your dances which one would you say is your favorite?
Ra’Chel Fowler:	My favorite is a tie between “Release Me” and “ENUF”! Although I love “Be Him” just as much…LOL.
Line Dance Connection:	In your own words, what makes dancing special?
Ra’Chel Fowler:	Dance is special because it involves individuality, creativity, passion and communication. It connects us in a way verbal communication does not. People will walk pass each other all day and never utter a word, but you put music on and the same people will be on the floor connecting through their own language of movement, style and flava. Ultimately we each are different and hear and interpret music and movement uniquely and that’s incredibly special. Dancing is an opportunity to release emotions/feelings, stress, and energy. Dance brings music to life!
Line Dance Connection:	If you could change one thing about dancing, what would it be?
Ra’Chel Fowler:	I wouldn’t change anything. Changing anything about dancing would require changing individuals. Dance like people is perfect in its imperfections. Dancing allows us to express our differences…good, bad and otherwise. I am an advocate of embracing being different.
Line Dance Connection:	Tell me one thing about yourself that the dance community would find surprising.
Ra’Chel Fowler:	I am actually very clumsy. I broke my right ankle three times (twice while in the cast) by falling up and down the stairs. My doctor actually said to me “The reason you’re so clumsy is because your feet are too small for a woman of your height, but they are beautiful”…LOL