College Admissions Essay: The Dance That Changed My Life

At a very young age my mother asked me “do you want to do dance or gymnastics?” and I remember my reply was instantly “dance!”. From that moment forward I completely fell in love with ballet, and a couple of years ago I decided I would like to see myself grow up to become a professional ballerina.

Dance is not only a form of art or a physical activity, but a means of expressing yourself. Through dance, I gained confidence, courage, patience, and other valuable qualities, now all fused into my identity. I have danced for the past 10 years, consistently training every week, persevering through the

Picture a casual day in the life of an ordinary girl: going to school in the mornings and performing her chores during the evenings. Now, reorient this to a day where she lacks of time to balance homework and sleep as pulling all-nighters is a quotidian activity where the exclusive task is to execute all her responsibilities. This vigorous alteration portrays how my life has changed in the preceding years. Antecedently, I was able to attend Orland Ballet's Summer Intensive. Challenging my daily living, I was chosen to dance with Ballet Concierto's professional dance company. Subsequent years later, I am able to face the challenges to come.

The first experience of watching a ballet, for me or any little girl, can be fascinating and exhilarating. Wondering how a dancer can be so steady on her toes as she spins in circles and leaps through the air. Watching a ballet, there is a feeling of wanting to be graceful, as well as the warm sensation felt by a little girl as she slips into dream land. My mom had taken me to my first ballet when I was 11 years old. When we returned home home, she signed me up for classes at the local dance center. The expectations to become a prima ballerina would involve much hard work and concentration. I knew when I started it would take years of steady practice and commitment. Learning the history of ballet and the famous

For fifteen years I have given my heart and soul to the art form I love, ballet, and I cherish the opportunity to give back to my ballet community by volunteering to teach students at my ballet school. Young dancers often face setbacks early in their dance experiences ranging from injuries to body image issues. When I first began dancing, I was small in stature compared to my peers, so I often danced roles designed for younger children. I felt discouraged, but because the older dancers intimidated me, I rarely sought them out for advice. By serving as a ballet instructor, I work to build relationships with young, aspiring ballerinas, from feisty four year-olds to anxious sixth graders. Beyond offering simple corrections during classes,

Ballet became a huge part of my life, and it taught me many more lessons than just how to plié or pirouette. It taught me determination, commitment, and what it means to follow a passion.

If not working to solve a problem, then anxiety and boredom ensue. The challenge is alive and growing in the world of dance to have the best technique and the most dedication. Every time I walk into the studio I know that I need to improve at least one aspect of my dancing. In the college environment, I will have the resources to study and dance until I drop. I want to build a long, fruitful career in dance based on strong technique and artistry. I hope to someday perform on the stage of the David H. Koch Theater at the Lincoln Center and other awe-inspiring stages throughout the world. I will spend my college years preparing to achieve the goals I have spoken about. When I graduate, I will work towards them, taking with me everything I learned during my time

Finally, my mom had put me into ballet classes. Finally, I am already in first grade and if I hadn’t started this year, I would never become a true ballerina. I had dreamed of being a ballerina since I was 3. Only because ballerinas were so flexible and beautiful, and they danced so effortlessly. I never stopped trying to learn the ways of ballerinas. I would go into my room and play smooth music and practice on my tippy toes, as if I truly were capable of being a ballerina someday. Constantly doing pirouettes,that I learned to do on ‘Shake it Up’ .

To begin with, people usually start ballet at a young age such as 5. However, I started when I was 12. My inspiration was Misty Copeland, the first dark skinned dancer that became the ABT’s soloist which also got in ballet at the age of 12. Ever since I was a kid, I dreamed about dancing but I couldn’t afford lessons. 6 months after I finally got in, I was promoted to the most advanced group. They say I was born with talent and now, I stand doing endless turns and jumps, performing my heart out during solos. Ballet has made me not only and expressive person throughout dance, but only a hard worker because after working hard, I got to be this high and now I apply this for school and everything I do.

Your in a room with piles of stuff you know that you need to get down but you have so much anxiety about it all, that it is making it impossible for you to achieve anything or be productive, what would you do? I would dance. I am a dancer, ever since i was three, dancing has been something that i have been drawn to. I have anxiety and i get it very easily but when i go to a dance studio and put on music, i can forget everything and i lose that trapped feeling i get when too overwhelmed. I have done multiple competitions for dance, been on a dance team for 2 years, and have taken outside of school dance at Legacy Dance Studio for a while now. I did ballet for years when i was little, then i switched to jazz and hip hop for a year or two, i even did

When I was three years old, I was exposed to the world of dance. Mostly, classical Ballet at the time, but I was soon to be emerged into the wonderful art form that is shared by so many all around the world. It is questioned as to how dance, specifically Ballet, is still relevant in this modern time. The simple reason is that it is loved by so many artists whom have passed that passion onto generations of students, who are eager to understand this complicated art form. I was lucky to be immersed into the dance world at such a young age; it is difficult for me to imagine a life without long rehearsals all leading up to a rewarding performance.

When I was a toddler, I was extremely afraid of everyone especially those I didn’t know. I would grab my mom's leg and have a panic attack just because someone walked by me. My mom, quite concerned, asked a pediatrician what she should do. She recommended dance and over fifteen years later I’m still a dancer. Dance is greatest talent, but it doubles as a lifesaver. I was such a scared little kid, however I have forever been changed for the better.

The most important aspect of dance that I learned about is the establishment and manipulation of technique in the various genres of dance. In the ballet unit, the basic technical details were re-introduced, such as pointed feet and proper hand positions. This period of time allowed me to review the foundation of my dancing and build upon my previous experience. Therefore, when I was learning about Kollywood and contemporary, it made the transition between following and breaking technique easier to control. I also studied a greater variety of genres and became an overall more well-rounded dancer. Apart from my physical abilities, I improved my facial expressions and energy onstage through further immersing myself in performances by creating a character specific to the dances and stepping into the role. Lastly, my culminating with Danielle allowed me to technically grow as a dancer, introducing me to professional choreography and challenging me to maximize my potential.

Dancers are athletes who devote their life to the unenumerable demands of their directors, their peers, and their selves. A dancer possesses one priceless tool that determines their success—or failure—in the field, their body. A healthy, capable body equates to an income, the

Before taking this class, I had only a quarter’s worth of modern experience under my belt, so when I entered this class, I had little idea what to expect. What I could not have expected, however, is how much of my growth in this class would challenge how I approach dance. As I finish spring quarter of my freshman year, I now have a new set of goals to work to achieve to continue working to improve my movement quality.