Chachana Iskandar, a first-year student from the Faculty of Liberal Arts, majoring in Psychology at Thammasat University, has been awarded the first prize in the Latin American Class A category of the ballroom dance competition at the 49th National Games “Chan Games” held in Chanthaburi Province.
She spoke about her journey to becoming a dancer, stating that it was because this sport aligned most closely with her personality. She expressed her love for music and dancing, emphasizing that, in addition to being a beautiful and exciting sport, ballroom dancing can also promote strength and foster good character in athletes.
“I became an athlete at the age of 8 while studying in the fourth grade of primary school. At that time, I had no time to play like my peers, so I had to clearly allocate my time. I completed my homework during class hours, and I utilized my days off from training for university activities. If there were family commitments, I planned them to coincide with my training days off as well. After training, which typically ended around 8:00 PM, I would dedicate my time to reading or finishing my homework. Therefore, my academic life has not faced any troubles, as I have been living this way since I was young and continue to do so to this day.”
She mentioned that years of dedicated training instilled patience and perseverance in her, driving her and her partner to achieve their shared goal of becoming national athletes. Retaining the championship brought immense pride to her team, and her family, highlighting the dedication to excellence in both dance and academics.
Chachana concluded that being an athlete, she has set a direction for her self-development towards national and international levels, aiming to represent Thailand in future national competitions. With her intention to pursue studies at Thammasat University, she wishes to enroll in the field of psychology, which is a discipline where she can apply her knowledge and skills to develop by integrating sports with psychological sciences for patient therapy. Specifically, she plans to use ballroom dancing to connect with patients who face mental health issues, such as those dealing with withdrawal or depression. In the future, she anticipates establishing a ballroom dancing club for individuals of all genders and ages to engage in dancing for health and enjoyment, providing a fun and relaxing experience. In addition to utilizing her expertise in psychology, she will also disseminate knowledge by serving as a speaker or instructor of ballroom dancing in primary and secondary schools.
