College Admissions Essay: How Dance Changed My Life

Dance has always been a huge part of my life, it pretty much is my life. Ever since I have been four, I have been taking frequent dance classes every week in various different styles of dance. I started in Ballet and at the age of six, I started Highland. I have also done hip hop, jazz, modern and contemporary, but Highland was definitely the most rememberable.

My love for music has always been coupled with an interest in dancing. At the age of four, I learnt to dance from Shakira; I watched her videos and imitated her till I felt like we were doing the same thing. I kept getting better, and soon, I would go to birthday parties just for the purpose of thrashing everyone else in dance competitions. My love for dance has only seemed to intensify over the years. Looking at me now, I still do almost the same thing: download dance videos and learn the choreographies.

My eyes are closed. I can feel my heartbeat in my ears, beating in time to the bass drum. Is this a spiritual experience? I stand in the crowd, surrounded by hundred of people feeling the same vivid emotions as I do. The music is what connects me to these strangers. It’s the common thread running from my veins into theirs. We’re all having a life changing experience, right there in that small music venue. But for the band on stage, it’s just another night on tour, going through the motions, playing songs they wrote years ago. And yet, my heart is telling me one thing: This is what I want to be someday. I want to change people’s lives. I want influence the dreams of individuals everywhere, just like those musicians who have influenced my dreams.

Another one of my passions is dance. Since the age of three I have been dancing. Whether it is on stage, at a competition, or just in front of my family, I found a love for this art. Around the age of thirteen I began student teaching; because of this, I found a liking for helping people become more confident in themselves and their dance technique. Not only did I learn to dance, but I also built confidence, learned great stage presence and to have respect for everyone. These are all lessons that will remain with me for life.

In the first grade, I picked up a clarinet. It was my sister’s, collecting dust while waiting for me to play it. From the moment I produced my first sound, an ear-piercing squeal that frightened my dog, the path of my life took a turn for the better. I began teaching myself for the following three years, along with learning from my sister how to properly play the beautiful instrument. The music pushed me out of my comfort zone: concerts that forced me onstage, tests that made me play difficult songs, and teachers that pushed me to be an exceptional player. From the shy elementary school student I used to be to the outgoing band member I take joy in being today, music has shaped my everyday life.

Unfortunately, I did not enjoy it so my mother allowed me to quit. Then a few years later when I was in fourth grade I saw that my elementary school had a dance team/drill team and it looked like tons of fun. I then realized that dance seemed like a hobby that I would enjoy. So my mother let me tryout as long as I promised not to quit. Of course I made her that and I auditioned for the next dance season and made it. I was extremely shocked that I had been asked to join the team seeing as I had no previous dance experience. Now ever since that moment dance has been more than just a hobby for me. I continued to dance through the rest of elementary school. However I did discontinue when I reached middle school due to my mother getting divorced and my family and I moving to a different town. I did try tumbling and cheer for a while, but it wasn’t befitting. I recognized I did not have a connection to tumbling and cheer like I did with dance, and that’s when I realized dance was my passion. After I came to this realization I auditioned for my high school dance team and this was the point in my dance career where I became extremely involved and also when I began to take it more seriously. I began to take it more seriously because at this point in my life I was out of shape and my body was not built to be a dancer. This was because during the time my mother had gotten divorced it was a difficult transition and I

I was a dancer for fourteen years, beginning at the age of four and ending at the age of 18. I participated in basically every type of dance including ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, modern, lyrical, and contemporary. Each year, I would participate in more classes than the last, and it eventually got to the point where I would be attending dance classes five or six days of my week. It definitely got tiring, but I still loved it. Dance is a great way to be able to portray emotions through movement, and I think that is very unique and special to participate in. It was a very huge part of my life, and so were the people teaching me. Dance and everything that came with it was a huge influence on my life, and it helped shaped me into the person I am today.

As a child, academics always came easily to me. While it was wonderful to be able to excel while putting in very little effort, I wasn’t so blessed when it came to physical challenges. My attempts at playing soccer, riding a bicycle, and playing an instrument all resulted in countless amounts of frustration as I didn’t immediately succeed. Nevertheless, I always had my eye on one particular goal: becoming a dancer. I always envied the grace and fluidity in which dancers moved while I was a short, heavy, and clumsy child.

Nothing is more important to me than inspiring people. I strive to be able to have an impact on someone's life never knowing what they are going through, or how my simple gestures could affect them. Music has affected me more than anything else. My passion for drums has taken my life down a path I love dearly.

This will be the only thing that will always be the same. Dance is my passion, and the one thing I will always move my feet for. It helps me be the best I can be and no one can tell me

Dance as really become a part of theatre I am starting to feel comfortable with. It is not just the part I worry about because it goes with singing and acting. I want to make dance an artform that I am good at. If I could make my dancing be at the same level as my singing I would feel so much better. I know I have a long way to go, but right now I am more comfortable than I have ever

Dance is a way to express yourself in an unique way that nothing else can. I started dancing at the age of three at a small studio. I took one class a week for one hour. I never thought the classes were important since I was just doing them for fun. Once I was in fifth grade I realized that I do really enjoy dance. Before realizing that I tried different sports like gymnastics, cheer, and soccer. Dance fit me better because it was more flexible with my schedule and I enjoyed it more than anything. Slowly I started taking more classes and different styles so I can try new things. I took tap, hip hop, ballet, jazz, lyrical , and contemporary, which started taking up more of my time after school.

From my first time on stage, I felt a sense of freedom and expression that I had not experienced before. From that point on, dance has made such a significant impact on my life. Dance has contributed in a huge way to all of your achievements so far in life such as education, transitioning from childhood to adulthood, interpersonal relationships, etc. as it taught me dedication, perseverance, discipline, and teamwork. All of these are essential life skills. I believe all these characteristics with be the reason for a successful career in dance.

A series of set of movements to music, either alone or with a partner. That is the definition of dancing. Dancing is a way to express one's feeling and to get active.

Dancing is a way for me to escape my worries. It is how I express emotions when I am unsure how to put my thoughts into words. I have always been in love with the sport, and was thrilled to continue my dancing career on the Sartell Sabre Dance Team. I have admired many dancers that had come before me, but the person that had always been an inspiration to me was Molly Carey. She was arguably the best dancer, thus far, in the history of the Sartell Dance Team. She walked with her head high exuding confidence, but was never arrogant. She displayed the traits of the person I wanted to be when I made the dance team. I was thrilled when I learned that Molly would be coming back to the team as a coach for my freshman year.