By Terra Avilla
Ahh the giddiness I felt writing this week’s article, because this wonderful human makes me laugh, and every time I am around her, she just makes me smile. She wholeheartedly owns who she is as a person, is positive and lifts those up around her, all while owning any and every room she ever walks into.
I am of course talking about the one and only Doria Dalu.
Now Ms. Doria came into my life when we both competed in Dancing for a Brand New Me years ago.
Doria from the very start was a ball of energy. The way she absolutely commands the room when she enters, instantly drew me to her, but it wasn’t in a show-off, or haughty sort of way, but a natural, confident, empowering type of way.
Doria is funny, Doria is silly, Doria is fierce and all of the other things I want my girls to be. Watching Doria with her dance partners year after year, makes me giggle. They too come to love this strong sassy woman, who helps them master the hula and break out on stage.
Aside from dancing in the yearly fundraiser for a Brand New Me, Doria volunteers the rest of her time helping with Best of Broadway. There a cast of all ages has access to her work ethic, humor, spirit and talent. And boy, is she talented.
The way she responds to music… or perhaps music responds to her is breathtaking. Her creativeness is truly a gift to any and every show she lends it to.
But aside from her dancing ability Doria is so much more. Doria is a loving mother and an all-around loving person. Back in 2020, when the dorms at the college closed, Doria offered to rent two rooms to two very young college baseball players. She didn’t know them, she only had my promise that the boys would behave.
Over the course of the year these boys grew to love Ms. Doria. What started out as a landlord/tenant relationship soon became a friendship. Ms. Doria, would feed them, and help fill in on momma duties for these young athletes who were so far away from home.
She came to their games and rooted for them. I remember seeing her beautiful smile in the stands and thinking what a wonderful person, to open her home and clearly her heart to these young men. (Who still talk about how awesome she is.)
Doria is a spark of light, in a sometimes very mundane or dark world. I love that Peach gets to be in Best of Broadway with role models like Doria. I hope she can see what happens when a woman takes power and wears her crown with pride. They shine like our little gem, Ms. Dalu, who is, and always will be, one of the reasons I love where we live.
