From Dance to Football: How Berkeley/Oakland AileyCamp Shaped an NFL Player’s Journey

Camilo Eifler, a former Berkeley/Oakland AileyCamp attendee, now plays for the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons.

When Camilo Eifler decided to try out for his high school football team as a sophomore, he had never even picked up a football before. But despite his lack of experience, he quickly took to the sport, earning 16 college football scholarship offers by the end of his senior year. Today, he plays for the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons.

So, what contributed to Eifler’s rapid success in football? According to his mom, UC Berkeley Professor Rachel Morello-Frosch, it was his early dance training at Berkeley/Oakland AileyCamp that laid the foundation for his athletic prowess.

“When you watch football, it looks like chaos,” said Morello-Frosch. “But there’s actually a lot of deep details happening — about body movement, eye movement, positioning. I think there are a lot of parallels to be made with how you implement a piece of choreography with how professional athletes implement a play.”

AileyCamp, a six-week, full-scholarship dance program for youth, combines intensive dance training with daily practice in peer-to-peer communication.

Berkeley/Oakland AileyCamp, produced by Cal Performances, is a unique program that provides young dancers with a transformative experience. The camp’s combination of intensive dance training and daily practice in peer-to-peer communication taught by experienced instructors helped Eifler develop a strong sense of self-confidence before entering middle school.

“These kids are dancing all day,” said Morello-Frosch. “They’re working on their bodies, their brains, their psyches, their emotions. They’re building community. They’re learning about accountability. It was a really transformative experience for him.”

AileyCamp instructors, led by Director Patricia West and Associate Director Spencer Pulu, support and guide young campers.

The camp’s instructors, led by Director Patricia West and Associate Director Spencer Pulu, play a crucial role in supporting and guiding the young campers. According to Morello-Frosch, the instructors are skilled at getting the kids to see that their well of talent and ability is deeper than they might initially think.

“The expectations for the kids are really high, and it’s very demanding,” said Morello-Frosch. “But the instructors are also really good at getting the kids to see that their well of talent and ability is deeper than they might initially think.”

Rebecca Cheung, now the assistant dean of leadership development programs at Berkeley’s School of Education, was impressed by the camp’s teaching style.

The camp’s teaching style has also caught the attention of Rebecca Cheung, now the assistant dean of leadership development programs at Berkeley’s School of Education.

Berkeley/Oakland AileyCamp, founded in 2002, is one of 10 AileyCamps across the country and one of two held on a college campus. This year, the national program of AileyCamp is celebrating its 35th anniversary.

AileyCamp culminates in a final performance for the community, showcasing the campers’ hard work and talent.

As Eifler’s story demonstrates, the skills and confidence gained through Berkeley/Oakland AileyCamp can have a lasting impact on a young person’s life, both on and off the field.

“I think there are a lot of parallels to be made with how you implement a piece of choreography with how professional athletes implement a play.” — Rachel Morello-Frosch