When I was three years old my mom decided to enroll me in dance classes. My sister Charlotte, who was 5 at the time, had already been in dance for 3 years and absolutely loved it. My mom had worries, of course, but not what you have coming to mind. Most parents worry about their babies enjoying the class or them being a bother to the teacher, but mine had other worries. My mom’s main worry, in her own words, was “If I could handle being nice to the other kids and my teacher for 45 minutes”. I was a harsh baby, ask anyone in my family and they’ll tell you. Growing up, I’ve heard countless stories of how I would “beat and bite my sister”. But 13 years ago when my mom asked Mrs Callie, my dance teacher, how I had done, she was shocked to hear how good of a student I had been, and how willing I was to participate. She always tells me that it's the moment she realized I was meant to be a dancer.
My dance team has always been my second family. I have been with and around most of the same girls since I was 3 and I will always cherish the bonds I have made with them. Even as I have grown up and been on teams with girls older than me, I have learned to adapt to their ways and they feel like family as much as the girls my age do. When I was in 7th grade I was put on a select team of all high schoolers, which I have since then been on, and it was one of the best years of dance I’ve ever experienced. It was amazing to experience a higher level of dance than I was used to and I think it made me grow as a dancer. That year I was also able to adapt to the older girls and make many friendships that I still cherish to this day. Being able to dance at a higher level has given me my competitive spirit and has taught me to look up to girls who are better than me, rather than letting them bring me down.
Not only have I danced with girls older than me, but I have also had this experience with girls much younger than me. My studio does a production number and finale each year which allows me to adapt and dance with little girls on their level and become more understanding of the fact that they are new to this and need extra love and patience. I have also learned from this how to handle and take care of a younger age group in a way they will listen to, whether that means being gentle or firm. These lessons have also been ingrained in me through working at my dance studio, Monday-Wednesday. I have worked with girls ranging from the ages of 2 to 16 (my age), and each age group has taught me different qualities I need to have as a leader. For example, the 2-year-olds need someone sweet to keep them entertained and focused, while the older girls need someone who can lead them through learning unfamiliar steps and improvement. Helping different age groups of girls and boys from different backgrounds has bettered me as not only a dancer but also as a person. With each team I have been on or helped whether it’s hip hop, ballet, or jazz, there is always an opportunity to to learn and grow as a friend, a leader, an example, and a dancer.
The following year, 2020, I performed a solo to “Make ‘em Laugh” from Singin’ in the Rain. This was Covid year so I had to wear a mask until right before I went on stage and had to put it back on right after. Little to no one was allowed in the audience, so we had to arrive at certain time incriminates to perform and leave right after. Most of my family watched me perform via livestream, and that’s also how I watched awards. This was the first time I ever won nationals with my solo, and ended up winning second overall at Grand Nationals. Despite everything that occurred that year, I persevered and did the best I could.
Along with solos, my sister and I have also performed a few duets together. Our first one was in 2016 to “Evil Like Me” from Descendants. My sister was Maleficent and I was her “daughter”, Mal. This duet was very special for my mom because our 2-year age gap had never allowed us to dance together, and seeing us on stage side by side was a new experience for her. This duet was a musical theater and allowed my sister to come out of her shell. I had always competed with a novelty solo but Charlotte usually stuck to tap. Together, we both learned many new aspects of dance and how to work with someone, as a dancer, that we usually didn't have to.
The next year I had the honor of being painted completely green. We performed “What is This Feeling?” from Wicked. This has and will always be one of my and my mom’s favorite musicals. This duet was adorable, yet it’s hard to see me in most videos because I was dressed in all black and I blended into every background at every competition. We took a break from duets for a while but we are finally doing one again this year. Since it is my sister's senior year we decided to do a duet that encompasses both of our strong suits. While my sister taps, I will be more focused on theatrical jazz. We are dancing to the song “It’s a Musical” from Something Rotten, which is also a throw back from two girls that did this duet a few years before us.
Dance has always been “my thing” for as long as I can remember. It’s what I grew up committing my life to, and it’s what I hope to continue committing my life to. Dance can be painful, physically; damaging to your muscles, your bones, and your skin. But it can also be hard on you mentally. Comparison to those around you and anxiety of competitions and tryouts can overtake a person. But despite whatever hardships it may bring, dance will always be my safe place. To others, it may be seen as just rhythmically moving around to random songs, but for me, it’s a way to express myself and let go of any thoughts or emotions that are haunting me. Dancing is the best stress reliever, and I can enforce whatever emotions I’m feeling into my movements. Dance has some moral lessons, it teaches you not to give up perseverance, and It forces you to work harder. Through dance, you understand your emotions and know yourself better by understanding your talents in a way that you didn’t know until you were dancing. Dance has taught me a lot in life; self-confidence, learning to listen to my emotions, and understanding my feelings. Dance is deeply personal and it is a reflection of something within us that we can only do with the world.