My Strength as a Dancer
I grew up completely obsessed and in love with turning. I would do it all the time in ballet class. I guess it kind of connects to the idea that little kids love to spin/twirl. In rehearsals, I would be doing it all the time. I got up to three turns while I was in high school and up to four turns while I was in college. It was so fun. I loved experimenting with all kinds of turns - with one leg out, holding onto a foot, and even sticking out my butt (that one just looked so funny).
Turning quickly became my strength as a dancer. It was impossible for it not to become that way. I was doing it all the time and I loved it. I was not a fan of jumping, therefore, that fell behind.
I didn’t realize that turning was a trick as much as it was a dance. When I first started to choreograph, all I wanted to do was have the girls turn. My ballet director taught me that it’s not always good to use the tricks because then you lose sight of the actual dancing. My focus changed and I got into the whole “performance mode” of dance. As tricks go, turning used to be my strength, but now I’m proud to say it is how I perform that really helps me stand out as a dancer. What makes you stand out?
