Hi again, friends.
As an extra little bonus post for you all, I decided to publish a few reflections on the semester that I wrote for a class I took called freshman seminar. I adored the course, as we had a lot of very good discussions about the many issues with the dance world, as well as navigating life as both a new college student and an artist.
The prompt for this letter was to investigate our “truth” as a dancer, as well as to recount what we learned this semester and set goals for the future.
Enjoy 🙂
Freshman Seminar Exit Letter
I feel like this semester has sparked a lot of growth and personal development in me, both as a person and as an artist. I greatly appreciated this class and I believe that the conversations that we had over the course of this term have been extremely enlightening, thought-provoking, and inspiring. I have discovered that my passion for both dance and nutrition still exist, while my passions for other things -such as discussions about social justice, the female athlete triad, and eating disorder prevention in the dance world – have intensified greatly. I have made further investigation of these topics a priority in my course planning for next semester and I am beyond excited to see where it leads me.
In general, I am very happy with the technical advancements that I have made in class, while also learning how to self-advocate in an environment where I am not necessarily encouraged or babied all the time. Over the course of the semester, I have found that my personal goals have changed from not only wanting to push myself as a dancer but also wanting to think about myself as a person and the life that I want to lead as an adult. I have been encouraged to question and push for change in the dance world as opposed to just being a body in the room, and I want to continue this momentum through both action and discussion.
I think that my “truth” as an artist in this crazy dance community lies in these interests, accomplishments, and goals. I know that dance can often be a ruthless art form that waits for no one, and will continue to exist whether I participate in it or not. However, I love it with my whole heart, and that is why I want to both continue training in a beautiful tradition and see many of the paradigms surrounding it shift. Susan’s talk really made me want to strive whenever I can to advocate for a world of dance where people are encouraged to take care of themselves, both mentally and physically. I feel more empowered than ever that my degree in nutrition will help me develop this identity. I also believe my “truth” as a dancer lies in being a powerful performer onstage, who places value in a full work and the ideas surrounding it rather than focusing solely on the perfect execution of the steps. Above all, from our experiences combining in class and conversation with the lovely modern majors and getting the opportunity to listen to all the diverse voices provided to us throughout the course of this class, I believe more than ever that dance should be a uniting force that drives people together, not an exclusionary force that separates them. I want to do the best I can to welcome people into this beautiful art form so that we can all enjoy it together.
Plantbased in Pointe Shoes 