Hello hello, long time no post!
I've been lacking motivation lately but felt like talking about setting goals and accomplishment. This comes from my recent attainment of a goal I had my eyes set on for a long time. It's still surreal to me but I'm immensely grateful that I have the opportunity to start a new chapter in my life.
Dance has been a huge part of my life these last five years. I've met so many people and have been given so many different opportunities that helped defined my college years. So many countless memories have been made. Dancing has not only allowed me an outlet to be active but also gave me a way to express my self through movement and relieve stress.
Being in the urban choreography (because hip hop is a controversial term for some people) scene, some of the teams people aspire for are GRV, The Company, Cookies, and more. These adult teams are the epitome of what our generation idolizes as the top tier in the community. I danced with a team called Ascension for three years in college and it really opened my eyes to a whole world of dance. I learned a lot about movement, intention, set building, performance, and growth during my time on that team and I wouldn't trade those years for anything in the world. Throughout my dance experience, my friends and I would always watch class videos, concept videos, and competition footage, spending hours dissecting the artistic process, appreciating the creativity, and fangirl/boying over the greats of the dance community. One of the teams that many of us in San Diego and beyond look up to is 220. They started as a small dance group at UCSD and have burgeoned into a household name. Being one of the top teams and placing in major competitions regularly, I admit I was a huge fan. There are so many talented and inspiring dancers on the team and I always had a glimmer of hope that one day I would try out and be able to join their ranks.
I merely toyed with the idea of trying out for the team but always doubted my dance ability and ability to perform at their caliber. When it came to dance, I always pushed myself and worked hard to be the best I could be. But as my time on Ascension came to an end, I really started to seriously consider the possibility of trying out and maybe even making the team. My motivations as a dancer were always to be better than I was the day before and see how far I could take my passion. Many of my teammates had no intention of dancing beyond their college years, seeing dance as a more social outlet where they could do what they liked with the people they loved. I loved my teammates and love to dance, but I always wanted to do more, be more. So after graduating in June, I buckled down and started training for 220's auditions at the end of August.
I trained hard, dancing everyday Monday through Thursday while simultaneously working a full time job. It was tough but I loved every moment of it. I love dancing, the way my body moves to the music and adapts to different styles. It genuinely brings me happiness and is an escape from my mundane day to day.
By the time auditions rolled around, I was nervous as hell and knew that this was my one chance to join my dream team. The process lasted two days and it was the most stressful two days of my life. The first day went better than I expected but on the second day, my nerves got the best of my and I choked when it came down to the wire. It completely destroyed me and I found the truth hard to swallow when I didn't get invited to the team. It seemed like what I worked so hard for was pulled out from under me in an instant. At this point, I came to terms with the reality and knew that dancing on my dream team was no longer a possibility.
A week or so after, I got an email from 220 asking if I would like to join their training program. I was confused but ecstatic as I read the email. It was a bright and shiny second chance at my goal and I took it in heartbeat. Over the course of two months I trained with the team, giving my all at each rehearsal to show the what I could. By the end of it all, I was one of three people who were chosen to join the team from the training program and I could not believe my ears when I got that call. I was shaking with excitement and couldn't believe what was happening.
Fast-forward to today and I'm thriving on my new team. I'm pushed to do my best at every rehearsal and am surrounded by people who love dance just as much as I do. It's still surreal that this all happened and am extremely appreciative of every moment I have with my new teammates. The feeling of accomplishing one of my biggest goals is truly amazing and I look forward to each night I get to dance with them. My journey with 220 had just begun and I can't wait to see where I go from here.
To be continued..... c:
Take it easy ~
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