A Dance Journey

Video Transcript

Dance has always been a part of my life.

I’ve done it since I was three. My mom and I have a special relationship. She makes me who I am on stage while I dance. My mother and I created little symbols for me to do better on stage.

For example, she would do this thing with her hand in her face to make me smile because no matter how many times I practice, whenever I go on stage my face always falls flat.

I learned about the art of dance and how it made me happy. It made me feel free.

First I started off with ballet, then tap for a little bit. She always wanted me to do different types of dances and not just one. She said that it would help me be a better dancer. In this dance performance I’m seven years old. I was at least two to three years younger than most of the other dancers.

Even though I was the youngest, I never felt like it. I always thought I was a part of the group. Even though I didn’t know how to do most of the dance steps properly, it never ceased to make me happy. My mom was the choreographer and I was the dancer. She was making up the steps and I was executing them.

We worked as a team.

I knew what step she was talking about even though she didn’t show me. I just knew it. My mom and I choreographed this dance together.

This is one of the Indian classical dance forms I do. It’s called Odissi. I started this in fifth grade. Even though my mom never danced when she was younger,she always knew how to make me look better. She always knew what was right even though I was the one being taught.

I will always thank my mom for my successes in dance. Thank you.