Dancing Through Life by Jaiden

Dancing Through Life by Jaiden - December 2019 Scholarship Essay

Before the second semester of my freshman year I felt like I didn’t have a purpose. I felt like every activity I tried wasn’t made for me and that I would never find “my thing” in life. The way I felt and the thoughts I had in my mind were scary. However, after one night of dancing late in my bedroom I asked my parents if I could take a dance class. I had taken one when I was very young and I have always been obsessed with any show with dancing in it. The next day I was signed up for a ballet class and the minute I walked into the studio I fell in love. I fell in love with dancing, with the way it made me feel, and with the people I met.
My sophomore year I got involved in ballet, jazz, and tap. In my ballet class were a lot of On Center’s company members. They are to this day my biggest inspirations, and they convinced me to join the Performance Company and the Competition Company at On Center Performing Arts. My junior year I participated in jazz, ballet, tap, contemporary, music, acting, and I was a teaching assistant for a little kids ballet class.
The minute I started helping the little kids learn to dance, I knew that it was what I wanted to spend the rest of my life doing. I personally knew the joy that dance brought me but watching the little four to six year-olds learn to fall in love with dance brought me even more joy. I loved watching them grow throughout the year.
That summer I worked as an assistant director for an Upstart camp for young kids and as a substitute. On Center was then bought out and moved to Mismo. I stayed with my old Director and moved to Studio M; however, I still teach Baby Ballet at On Center.
At Studio M I teach a combo class and I’m the main substitute for all genres of dance. I am also the Student Director where I help run the company and create choreography that we use in performances. I love being a Student Director because I am getting the experience of what it is like to help run a dance studio but I also get to be a mentor to the company kids. One of my favorite tasks as Student Director is being asked to check up on kids and make sure they are having fun. I enjoy getting the work experience while also getting to be extremely close with the amazing kids I get to dance with.
When I joined dance about three years ago I never thought I would find this new family of mine and discover what I want to do in the future. I want to own a dance studio so that one day I can possibly help a lost child like I was find a home and a purpose.