One of the main reasons I wanted to become involved with Dancewear Center was to learn more about the many dancers, groups, studios, etc. that are located in the greater Seattle area. At this time I cannot even say I’m at the tip of the iceberg because I am just at the beginning of learning about the dance community here. I am grateful to be able to follow the web of connections through Dancewear Center sharing people, their activities, and more online. This sliver of a glimpse into the world of creativity, lovers of dance and unique perspectives that are literally all around us has inspired me.

I started dancing at what some would consider a “late” age, when I was 15 years old. 

I often wonder what it would have been like if I hadn’t started with ballet. If I had started with hip hop or jazz or freestyle would I still feel like I had started late and that I wasn’t good enough, or is that just the nature of ballet? We’ve always heard that if you don’t start learning the technique when you are three years old, you will never be successful. Is it the same for other styles? Or was it the pressure I put on myself? Would the insecurity have been different? I guess I’ll never know. I’m glad I was able to move on and find what was a good fit for me.

Classical ballet for me has always been more than just dance. It's about telling powerful stories through movement, music, and emotion. In a world where people flock to sports arenas to root for their favorite teams, drawn by the drama of good versus evil and the thrill of having a stake in the game, ballet offers a similarly captivating experience through its storytelling. Why can’t we seem to bring people to our theaters in the same masses? For audiences both seasoned and new to ballet, the narrative element is key to creating a connection. I believe that storytelling is the bridge that can make ballet accessible and engaging for everyone.