Analysis: My Dance Journey

It’s hard to imagine what being a “grown-up” is when you’ve always been a child. I don’t mean physically, but along the lines of knowing where you’re going with your life. What constitutes being an adult? Is it when you’ve finally reached the pinnacle of being “put together” by getting a job, place, and paying for your own phone bill? Or is it when you’ve accomplished big goals such as getting a degree or starting a family? I’d like to think that it’s when one experiences a large disconnect between their idealistic thinking and reality, and is willing to share it with others--whether it be taking on the form of a mentor, or imparting pearls of wisdom meant to pass on personal lessons. In that moment everything clicks, and one suddenly finds
Left to fend for myself in a brand new environment, it was difficult meeting like-minded people who could be close companions. In all honestly, I first viewed the concept as less of a passion and more as a means to dissuade my introverted self from staying at home every single weekend. There were many high-caliber dancers around me and I was obviously new at it, and I once even received a blunt critique that concluded in: “Your dancing doesn’t look good”. With that kind of encouragement, there was little motivation in bettering myself even though I invested more than fifteen hours a week going to practice and taking
We try and foster the same intimate connections we have with our members, amongst our members. On a trip to Big Bear for a retreat-like getaway, we had the opportunity to become even closer to some of the recent additions to our family. The final night of our stay started off joyously, and ended in silence. My co-director had gathered all twenty-two of us into a large circle next to the brick fireplace to announce that he wanted everyone to know each other beyond a superficial level. His voice echoed throughout the living room as he began his tale of how he grew up without a dad, never meeting him or knowing who he was. “When my little brother was born, I had to grow up fast to be the dad he also didn’t have,” he recounted.
Although the sombreness of the room would lighten up at times when someone revealed a less shocking secret, as the circle went around each story gradually became more heavy than the last. One girl told us how difficult it was to leave a toxic relationship that drained her energy and come to terms with her sexuality. Another member said that he witnessed two important people in his life commit suicide after a huge relationship