YMCA Aquatics Director by day, ballroom dancer by night: Danielle Gilmore

For all that differs between the two activities of swimming and dancing, Danielle Gilmore has managed to dip her toes into both. 

Pace, agility and focus are required for both, something Gilmore, the Aquatics Director at the Gleason Family YMCA, takes with her to competitions. Dancing and swimming since she was young, she now spends her work hours creating poolside events, and her free time waltzing with a partner.

From lifeguard at the YMCA to director, Gilmore started working full-time in 2012. She graduated from college and found herself asking "what am I going to do with my life?" after obtaining a degree in mathematics. 

 "I wanted to get into fitness," she said. "Dance was always the thing that really brought me joy. You sweat, but you don't really notice it."

Gilmore participated in ballroom dancing in college and stoked the fire she felt when she took to the dance floor. In 2024 she found a studio called Fred Astaire in Plymouth, her hometown, and began to don sparkly competition dresses on the weekends shortly afterward. 

Traveling across New England to competitions, Gilmore performs American Smooth routines with a partner from the studio. American Smooth is a genre of dance compiled of waltz, tango, foxtrot and Viennese waltz. 

"Your smooth dances are more traditional— like what people think of when they think of ballroom dancing. Dancing around the room in beautiful, long dresses— that sort of thing," she said. 

The pair go in front of a panel of judges to be ranked against other duos. Gilmore said it takes confidence to be able to dance in front of an audience of people critiquing her moves. 

"I just go out there and really focus on having fun. The joy that I feel for dancing is what the audience picks up on and as long as I'm enjoying myself nobody will notice any small mistakes that get made," she said. 

A challenge Gilmore faces out on the floor is translating years of dancing habits. She said she struggles to not fall into techniques she learned when she was young.

"You think all dancing translates to one another, it actually doesn't," she said. 

Right now, Gilmore is classified as an intermediate dancer, or, at the bronze level. In the near future she said she hopes to test for the silver level which is a "little fancier." 

This can be achieved by competing well, going in front of a special panel of judges or having your dance instructor move you on themselves. With plans to attend more competitions, she said she thinks she's ready to advance, and that she's continuing to have fun. 

"It's a great community out there," she said.