My parents, like many others, wanted me to try everything. Having an older brother spiked my interest in eating fast, getting dirty, and playing sports but my parents wanted to be sure that I got the full gamut. In addition to the various sports I already did, my parents enrolled me in gymnastics, softball, choir, and dance. Although I do have a preference for running around with the boys, I definitely developed a soft spot for dance. What drew me to dance was how the through the fluid utilization of the human body in various moves and poses, one is able to communicate an idea or emotion to an audience that expresses something that words simply cannot. This “something” can vary widely, from telling a story, to revisiting the ancient culture and practices of ones ancestors, to simple communication. Dance can be used to bring people together and to develop deeper relationships. All in all, my experience with dance has been fantastic and eye opening to the world around me.

When I was younger and in dance class, I would be dancing two times a week and occasionally on weekends at performances. Today I dance when I walk, when I’m bored or even when I’m talking to someone. You might be wondering, how can that be possible, how can someone who doesn’t professionally dance, dance so frequently! It all comes down to how you define dance. Back when I was in dance class, I would only define dance as what I did in class or what I was practicing. Through age I’ve realized that there is significantly more to dance than what is simply taught in class. Dance is any movement of your body used in a way to communicate a thought, feeling or emotion to another. When I see a friend whom I haven’t seen in a while, I may quicken my step and envelope them in a hug. This is a way I’m communicating my utter happiness. The way the body moves varies immensely in dance but what is consistent