I was 4 years old when I first dancers at a small talent show. Having lived in the United States for 2 months, I'd already decided to supplant my broken English with the language of dance - however, that is not where I discovered my talent. My talent and skill are to collect, adapt and create.
By the age of 6, I had hastily relocated 5 times in 2 years due to my father's unstable job- from 2 bustling towns in India to a small apartment in Virginia to the brisk and dismal Minnesota, to finally a minuscule yet evergreen town in North Carolina. When 3 months of monsoon in India turned to 9 months of winter in Minnesota to almost a year round spring in North Carolina, my bemused little head had already learned that each place had its own beauty, personality, and aura. However, I had also gotten used to feeling like a nomad, as each city had it's own ticking timer reminding me to refrain from any feeling of attachment. My surroundings and my emotions conflicted in a disconcerting childhood where dance felt like the only escape.
At the age of 7, I practiced gymnastics and joined the soccer team. I also anxiously enrolled in a class that taught ballet, tap, and jazz. While I kept the defense strong in soccer and quickly became a pro at the balance beam, I struggled to keep my toes pointed and to perfect my steps. I would be told I was "too stiff" or "too shy," but I knew exactly how I wanted to use my body. While sports were my strong suit, I was determined to stay with dance forever.
At the age of 8, my family and I finally settled in New Jersey, and I couldn't remain isolated as the world was waiting for me to finally take my place. This time, I enrolled in a dance school that taught something deeply rooted in my culture- Bharat Natyam. It requires sharp steps and keen facial expressions for which I imagined I'd do wonders in with my stiff manner anyway, only to face another impediment. I'd do ballet Arabesques instead of classical Visharu Adavus. My knowledge of western styles blended into my classical moves, and once again I was challenged by instructors who believed I was lacking.
Now 17, free from the limitations of moving around and with a collection of experiences from all the activities I've tried and places I've lived, I create my own pieces of dance. Now, I've finally found a home, a world in which classical, contemporary, and everything else I learn meshes together. Now, being "too stiff" or "too shy" doesn't matter, because while practice and discipline are crucial, I must also believe in myself. I have learned to love whatever I create, because I too, express my own beauty, personality, and aura.
Dance has taught me to remain steadfast and to always keep my passion close wherever I go. My life has taught me to assimilate and be flexible. I've learned that it is not only what you learn from something, but it is what you make of it that sculpts your character. I've learned that it's okay to question and challenge those who challenge you because curiosity is the path to the most powerful tool on Earth-knowledge. I can now soar blissfully through blossoming gardens of art, literature, science and math. With every academic and non-academic hurdle I come across, I know exactly how to deal with it, just like I did with dance. I aim to take the little world I've created with memories and my passion along with me and to create new memories and find more interests to add to the mosaic these next four years. Every obstacle or new chapter is now easier to overcome, because just like dance, everything has its own lesson and takeaway.
By the age of 6, I had hastily relocated 5 times in 2 years due to my father's unstable job- from 2 bustling towns in India to a small apartment in Virginia to the brisk and dismal Minnesota, to finally a minuscule yet evergreen town in North Carolina. When 3 months of monsoon in India turned to 9 months of winter in Minnesota to almost a year round spring in North Carolina, my bemused little head had already learned that each place had its own beauty, personality, and aura. However, I had also gotten used to feeling like a nomad, as each city had it's own ticking timer reminding me to refrain from any feeling of attachment. My surroundings and my emotions conflicted in a disconcerting childhood where dance felt like the only escape.
At the age of 7, I practiced gymnastics and joined the soccer team. I also anxiously enrolled in a class that taught ballet, tap, and jazz. While I kept the defense strong in soccer and quickly became a pro at the balance beam, I struggled to keep my toes pointed and to perfect my steps. I would be told I was "too stiff" or "too shy," but I knew exactly how I wanted to use my body. While sports were my strong suit, I was determined to stay with dance forever.
At the age of 8, my family and I finally settled in New Jersey, and I couldn't remain isolated as the world was waiting for me to finally take my place. This time, I enrolled in a dance school that taught something deeply rooted in my culture- Bharat Natyam. It requires sharp steps and keen facial expressions for which I imagined I'd do wonders in with my stiff manner anyway, only to face another impediment. I'd do ballet Arabesques instead of classical Visharu Adavus. My knowledge of western styles blended into my classical moves, and once again I was challenged by instructors who believed I was lacking.
Now 17, free from the limitations of moving around and with a collection of experiences from all the activities I've tried and places I've lived, I create my own pieces of dance. Now, I've finally found a home, a world in which classical, contemporary, and everything else I learn meshes together. Now, being "too stiff" or "too shy" doesn't matter, because while practice and discipline are crucial, I must also believe in myself. I have learned to love whatever I create, because I too, express my own beauty, personality, and aura.
Dance has taught me to remain steadfast and to always keep my passion close wherever I go. My life has taught me to assimilate and be flexible. I've learned that it is not only what you learn from something, but it is what you make of it that sculpts your character. I've learned that it's okay to question and challenge those who challenge you because curiosity is the path to the most powerful tool on Earth-knowledge. I can now soar blissfully through blossoming gardens of art, literature, science and math. With every academic and non-academic hurdle I come across, I know exactly how to deal with it, just like I did with dance. I aim to take the little world I've created with memories and my passion along with me and to create new memories and find more interests to add to the mosaic these next four years. Every obstacle or new chapter is now easier to overcome, because just like dance, everything has its own lesson and takeaway.
