By DevonGrace Tax
UC Santa Barbara alumna Delaney Shanley has gone from an aspiring young dancer to a professional performer in an NFL arena as a rookie Raiderette. Her journey from the Gaucho sidelines to the entertainment team at Las Vegas Raiders stadium is the payoff for pushing herself an extra 1 percent each and every day both inside and outside of the classroom, she says.
Class of 2024 UCSB Dance alumna Delaney Shanley’s debuted this fall as a Rookie Raiderette with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Shanley completed a dual degree in Dance and Economics in Winter 2024, after laying the groundwork for her post-college dance career by attending tryouts for professional teams while balancing her academic commitments. She credits her UCSB Dance courses, guided by a supportive faculty, for the foundational skills that helped her reach this milestone.
As she embarked for the first time on an exhilarating yet challenging sports season, Delaney navigated the daunting process with the guidance of her sister and mentor, Devyn Shanley—a 2023 UCSB alumna who also earned a dual degree, including a BFA in Dance. Now, the two sisters share the field as fellow Raiderettes, supporting each other as they pursue their dreams as both teammates and family.
In a recent interview, Delaney reflected on her early dance aspirations that started in her hometown of San Clemente and how majoring in Dance at UC Santa Barbara helped her secure a spot on her dream team.
Q: Walk me through your background in dance. How did you first get involved, and what drew you to ultimately pursue it in college?
A: Going way back, I started dancing at the age of two when my mom put me in dance classes. My mom would always give me different choices like “do you want to continue soccer again or do you want to do the Nutcracker?” and I would always choose dance. So I basically grew up in a dance studio, continued competitions and did dance recitals throughout my younger years.
As I was transitioning from a high school cheerleader for the football team to a soon-to-be college student, I knew that this chapter of dance was not yet over for me. So, when I saw how my older sister had such a good balance with majoring in dance and doing the dance team at UCSB, I wanted to do exactly what she did. And that is where I followed in her footsteps. Once I got accepted to the dance major, I tried out for the dance team and then joined a sorority just as she did.
Q: As you turned your passion for dance into a significant part of your college education and experience, were there any faculty, mentors, or peers who played a significant role in your development as a performer?
A: One of the faculty members who played a big role in my journey was my ballet teacher Monique Monsieur. A lot of my teachers were so helpful for keeping up my training, but especially mynballet teacher Monique. Even to this day, I constantly get complimented on my technique since I got to do ballet for all four years of college, through the dance major.
As for my mentors and peers, one of my biggest ones would be my sister Devyn because I could see the ins-and-outs of everything from when we were younger to now being a part of the Raiderettes together.
Delaney Shanley, UCSB Dance program alumna, performing center-stage for a choreography showcase while she was a student. She is now a dancer with the Las Vegas Raiderettes.
Q: You mentioned that you and your sister were on the UCSB Dance Team together and are now both Las Vegas Raiderettes. What is it like to have had these shared experiences and what are some of your favorite memories you have with her so far?
A: Going through auditions with her was definitely a core memory because she made me feel so supported and confident. She was with me through it all, but she also reminded me that this was my own individual journey and experience, and that I should never forget that. Honestly, it was the perfect balance of her kind of letting me do it myself but also supporting me. We then got to capture every special moment of that process by being featured in the “Making the 2024 Raiderettes: Sisterhood” documentary, which was such a cool experience.
Delaney Shanley, left, and her older sister, Devyn, right, both UCSB graduates who are now Raiderettes with the Las Vegas NFL team.
Q: What were some of the most impactful lessons or experiences from your dance courses at UC Santa Barbara, that you still apply today?
A: The dance major is designed in a make-it-what-you-want-it style, where you get to choose the classes and styles that you want to. I realized how impactful training in different styles was when I was going through the audition process. With my Raiderette audition, I had to choose a solo of my choice for the final round of auditions, so it wasn’t just pom-poms and cheering. Also, through the department, there were optional student choreography shows, and I always did them because it helped me practice for performing on stage and be more comfortable in that element. Overall, the dance program at UCSB taught me consistency and helped me keep my passion for dance alive, reminding me that all of my hard work and putting in that extra one-percent every day will pay off in the long run.
Q: If you could give any advice to current dance majors who were in your position, what would you say to them?
UC Santa Barbara Dance Team member Delaney Shanley cheering on the Gauchos during a men’s basketball game last year.
A: One thing I learned that has stuck with me all of this time is to stop comparing myself to everyone. Once I realized that all of the people in the dance major are so talented in their own way, I realized that I needed to build that confidence and work on myself for what works for me. So, I would say to anyone who was in my position: make yourself a better dancer, not just like the girl next to you, but in an original way. Because at the end of the day, if there’s already a girl that’s good in a certain way on a team, they’re not going to want two of her.
Q: What has been the most rewarding part of your journey as a Rookie Raiderette?
A: I honestly think that the most rewarding feeling is during appearances out at tailgates, the suites, and in the stadium when we see those little girls that look up to us, and I remember how that was me at one point. I was that little girl when I was a young dancer, so seeing them be so amazed that we made it this far makes me feel like I finally did it and that anything is possible.
DevonGrace Tax is a third-year UCSB student majoring in Statistics and Data Science. She wrote the article for her Digital Journalism course.