From a young age, I embarked on my movement journey with skating. However, those initial sessions were more challenging than expected. Unlike my peers, rolling didn’t come naturally to me. My coach observed that I possessed a naturally firm physique, a trait usually sought after in advanced skaters. Yet, at that early stage, he wanted me to loosen up, to release that rigidity. It took time and persistence to achieve that freedom of movement on skates.
Around the same time, a conversation sparked a new direction. My parents learned that ballet actually valued a strong, firm body – something I naturally had. And just like that, my formal journey into the world of dance began with ballet.
Ballet, at its heart, is about expressing the nuances of music and the depth of human emotion through movement. A quintessential example is Swan Lake, Op. 20, the timeless ballet composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. This masterpiece beautifully portrays themes of romance and tragedy through the tale of Prince Siegfried and Odette, the Swan Queen. Their story, filled with love, curses, and transformations, unfolds through the expressive language of ballet.
After several years immersed in the discipline of ballet, the desire for greater personal expression grew. My parents recognized this need for more freedom and encouraged me to explore contemporary dance. This transition marked a significant shift in my dance journey.
Contemporary dance emerged in the mid-20th century and has since become a leading dance genre globally, particularly in the US and Europe. Unlike the rigid structure of ballet, contemporary dance embraces versatility and improvisation. It encourages dancers to explore floorwork and utilize gravity to their advantage, fostering a more grounded and expressive style.
The very essence of “emotion” stems from the Latin word “emovere,” meaning “to move.” Dance, in its purest form, is an expression of feelings and emotions. It’s akin to living a dream with your body, a way to unleash your inner self without words. Dance allows us to communicate a vast spectrum of human experience – joy, love, pain, grief, and everything in between. Anybody Can Dance, regardless of technical training. Simply moving to music offers profound benefits. Notably, dancing releases endorphins in the brain, triggering neurotransmitters that induce feelings of comfort, relaxation, joy, and empowerment.
For me, dance has consistently been a powerful outlet, a means of self-expression, and a source of happiness and peace. Each moment on the dance floor is a moment of communication, a physical articulation of something deeply personal. It’s an unparalleled feeling.
Dance truly is for everybody. It is the delight of movement and the very heartbeat of life.
