2When I dance, I feel free. It is a freedom from thought and a freedom from worry. If it is simple stretches that I've learned in the past that I'm working on, I have to concentrate on strengthening my ankles and turning my feet out. If it is a more difficult combination, step, or routine, then I have to focus on remembering the steps, and trying not to miss or mess up a move.
The most undance-ish thought that passes through my head during class is competition. Everyone in my class (it seems) tries to be better than the best person there. In ballet class I think about the step, and how to execute it gracefully, and not about my problems at school. In jazz class, it's similar to ballet, but I don't have to think about grace, just coordination (jazz is much easier than ballet; I went from beginning jazz to jazz intermediate in just under a month) and I am not thinking about problems at home or with friends.
When I dance, I'm full of the music, the moves, and the joy of dancing. Sometimes, if I've practiced enough, I don't have to think of the moves; instead I think of the joy of doing well and knowing people can-or will see me.
Dance is the best part of my days. It's one of the things I think most about. All day on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday I wait for my dance classes and rehearsals.
People might think I'm not motivated about dance, because I don't talk about it much, but I practice every day, and think about it every night. Sometimes at home when I'm lying in bed, I think about what moves I could choreograph into a routine for a song I've heard, or how to perfect a new move I learned that day.
I have goals in dance, and plans, too. I wish to be on pointe by eighth grade, and though I know that's probably not going to happen, I'm working toward it. I also want to be in the advanced jazz classes by eighth grade. This is a more realistic goal that I believe I can achieve. I have smaller goals, also. I hope to be able to do a split by New Years Day, and I want to be able to land a triple turn. These are goals that I believe I can conquer in the immediate future.
I have been dancing for nine or ten years, but this year my dance schedule has increased, and I know it will continue to do so. I past years I've only taken one or two ballet classes a week, but this year I'm taking two ballet classes in level five, and one jazz intermediate class a week.
I'll be performing and rehearsing more this year too. My next show will be my first performance with my dance studio's traveling dance troupe. We will be going to Miami as backing dancers for the group "Default," in the halftime show of the Miami Orange Bowl, on January 2, 2003.
The day after that are auditions, not true auditions, though, because everyone gets a part. My instructors just take measurements for the costumes and so on. In this performance I will have three parts in each of the four shows. The rehearsals are every weekend all winter and spring, and the show is at the end of May. It may be time consuming but it is always worth it.
When I'm dancing I'm not thinking of anything else. My dance school is called Dance For Joy, and I don't think it could have a better name. That is what I do; I dance for joy. I always will.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ A/N: This is really old, about two years old, obviously, since it was written before the Orange Bowl. About the goals, I achieved half of them as of right now. I can do a split, and I did get in Jazz Advanced by eighth grade. I still can't land a triple turn, and I won't be on pointe for another six months, at least, because pointe classes start in September. Also, what is says about my classes is out of date as well. I now take advanced hip-hop, advanced jazz, two ballet Level 6's, and at least two other random classes a week, plus rehearsals. I don't think anyone cares, but whatever. Sorry if it is bad, it's really old, but I hope people like it anyway! Please Review!