At the age of five I fell in love with dance. But after my great grandma died, that love went away. I was heartbroken in so many ways. I did not have an escape plan from the pain I felt. Or so I thought. The day after her ceremony I danced the entire day away. Since then, I truly fell in love with dance. It allowed me to move and express myself freely. Dance was like medicine for me because it took the pain away.  

     I feel safe and at peace every time I dance. But most, of all dancing made me feel like I was closer to my great grandma. Every time I danced, it made me feel like she was there every step I took. She made me fall deeper in love with dance. 

 How does dance connect with my mental health? 

    Before I started dancing my mental health was not the best. My mind was making me think that I was not good enough or that I would be nothing in life. But once I started dancing, I started to prove myself wrong. Once I started dancing, I showed myself that I could do anything I put my mind to. Dancing helped improve not only my mental health, but it also improved my grades and my confidence.  

     I started dancing on an actual team in the sixth grade, which is when my confidence started going up. Then the people I danced with made me happy and the dance itself made me feel like I was the hero in my own story. Dance improved my mental health because I started socializing with people more, and I was more involved with things. Dancing changed me a lot.  

 What are my future dance plans? 

     I have a lot planned when it comes to dancing in my future. One plan is dancing while I am in college. I want to go to either Alabama State University or FAMU (Florida Agriculture and Mechanical University). Both colleges have an amazing dance team, and you must be confident with them. I also plan on teaching dance because it has been one of my dreams to teach other people how to dance. It is possible for dance to change other people’s lives just like it changed mine. But before I go to college, I plan to work extremely hard this year to become part of a different dance team. 

Who are your biggest supporters and how have they supported you? 

     I have a lot of supporters when it comes to me dancing. My biggest supporters would be my friends and family because they have been with me through the entire process, and they never doubted me. For example, last year my mom stopped me from quitting a dance team when it got too hard. She told me you cannot run from life when times get rough, and I will never forget that.  

     My brothers have always supported me in anything I do, and in dance they will always be there. I remember one day I had to perform for a game, and they were yelling and cheering for me so loud that they got everyone’s attention.  

    My uncles and aunties were there for my first ever performance until now, and I know they plan to come to more. My sisters helped me with dances and the mental breakdowns I would have when I could not calm myself down. So, I would say my biggest supporters are my family and they always will be. 

 If you did not dance, what would you do and why? 

    If I did not dance, I would teach dance or study the history of dance. I would teach dance because I see what it has done for me. Just imagine how many other people are out there just like me. I can change people’s lives with dance. I feel like if I teach dance, then I can help people connect with the world just by dancing. I would study dance because I would be interested in it, and it would make me happy. I will be learning where dance originated and how it affects people. I would investigate other cultures and how they use dance. I would draft an article about the things I learned just from studying it just to show the world that dancing is something more than moving. It has a beautiful meaning behind it as well.