Simmons Spotlight: Senior Kampbell Davis
If you have ever had the pleasure of seeing senior Kampbell Davis perform a dance routine, you may wonder if her bones are made entirely out of rubber. In fact, with the way she’s able to twist and contort her body, you may wonder if she has any bones at all.
Kampbell’s routines can only be accurately described as jaw-dropping and intense, as anyone who has seen her performances in CAC’s talent shows can attest. Watching her perform is to watch someone at the height of their craft.
Clearly, the Thea Foundation agreed as they named her one of only 10 recipients of their coveted performing arts scholarships.
“I am so thankful for the Thea scholarship I was awarded,” Kampbell said. “It’s a statewide event, so it was really an honor to be recognized. I would like to thank Mr. Paul Leopoulos and Mrs. Linda Leopoulos for my scholarship and for my family for always supporting me.”
Kampbell learned about the scholarship opportunity from her former choreographer. She needed to prepare a dance routine under two minutes. She turned in her routine, “Different Kind of Love,” by the Nov. 1 deadline to the Foundation. Click here to see a clip of Kampbell’s winning routine.
The Thea Foundation was founded to carry on the legacy of Thea Leopoulos, who found confidence and success because of her involvement in the art. Thea was the daughter of Paul and Linda Leopoulos, who started the foundation to carry on Thea’s legacy after she passed away in 2001. It was Paul who called to let Kampbell know that she had won the scholarship for her performance. Her performance was selected by a panel of three judges with deep experience in the arts world. More than 330 Arkansas seniors submitted art from across the following categories: performing arts, visual arts, creative writing, film and fashion. A total of 36 students received scholarships ranging from $10,000 to $3,000. Kampbell secured a scholarship of $9,000.
Kampbell’s love for dance started when she was 7 years old. Before then, she had been fascinated by the world of equestrian riding. She and fellow CAC senior Constance Josephson were elementary friends, and the Josephsons persuaded Kampbell to get started in dance. Her passion took off from there, and she quickly started winning competitions in her age group. In her 11 years of dance, she has worked on many styles including jazz and tap, but she describes her dance style as modern/unique.
Today, Kampbell spends 15 to 17 hours per week honing her craft. Despite the intense dance schedule, Kampbell has also played for the CAC golf team since she was a sophomore. She has also maintained a focus on her academics, and she is a member of the National Honors Society, Beta Club and the National Spanish Honors Society.
Next up for Kampbell is Southern Methodist University in the fall. She plans to double major in chemistry and dance, so her performance skills will be put to regular use. And, who knows, maybe with her science major she can explain to the rest of us how she is able to do what she does on the dance floor!
