College Admissions Essay: Lion Dancer

The drumbeat, gong, and the cymbalist came to a stop. I spun the golden head around my sweaty body, revealing my pink, exhausted face to the audience after what had felt like an endless lion dance performance. Bowing to the crowd, I heard various people yelling, “Wait, that was a girl?” I felt their surprised expressions and approval shine down on me as the result of the intense training I endured. As lion dancer, I never imagined feeling so triumphant.
Growing up, my family was always there to belittle my sense of worth. My older sister, Theresa, successfully got my classmates to call me “Nobody”, which instigated bullying that lasted from elementary school to the end of my 8th grade year. My father has called me stupid since the time I asked
As a team, everyone worked their hardest to perform to the best of their abilities. Although we had our serious times, the team became the family I had desired. Unlike my birth family, this new family was considerate enough to listen to my problems and thoughts, and give me advice on what I should do with my life. Not only did I create strong bonds with my team members, but I felt my self esteem escalating. I was able to grow as a strong human being and think and speak for myself for the first time in my life. After years of being shunned by my family and bullied by my classmates, I was able to be myself and embrace who I truly am. Joining the lion dance team was a major turning point in my life. Through lion dancing, I was able to express myself without anyone knowing who I was. The lion head is a way for me to hide my identity, but my vehemence in dancing is from the motivation my family members’ criticism gave me, which made me want to do better. Because of the love and support I received from the lion dance team, I am more open-minded about the world. It allowed me to overcome my shyness and instilled me with the confidence and happiness I have