Destined to Dance

If we were born able to stand up, I would have been dancing from birth. It's something about the bass in music that makes me just want to move and the rhythm in songs that make it flow. It's effortless... It just happens. There's also that part of me that believes it's in my blood, having so many family members that dance. My father is strictly Hip-Hop, and my mom moves to whatever gets her up. And great grandfather was  a professional ballet dancer.

I remember the first dance book I signed out of the school library in first grade. It might have been the pink tutus that drew me in or how beautiful the pictures in the book looked. I just knew that I wanted to be a ballerina. When I got home that night with my new book, i told my mom,

“Mommy I think I want to be a ballerina.”

“That's great.” she responded. “Did you know that I took ballet classes when I was younger?”

“Really? You never told me!”

“Yeah, but I don't think that you will like ballet classes Rasa. the teachers are really strict. I hated dance classes.”

Even Though my mom suggested that I shouldn't take ballet classes, It was really her way of saying she wasn't going to let me.

I will always remember the day, I was at my grandmother's and my mom called with “Good News.”

“Hey Rasa do you still want to take dance classes?” she asked

“Of course I do mommy!”

“Ok, it’s a summer camp that goes on throughout the summer and you can start on Monday. The only thing is, they started a week ago.”

I was thrilled to start dance classes, but nervous because I was going to be a week behind the other dancers. The weekend flew by and on sunday my bags were packed to come home.

Monday morning came and I was up extra early eager to get ready and go. I was unsure of what to wear. So I packed some black and nude tights and my black high top converse. After breakfast my mom, dad, and I got in the car to go to the dance “The Pointe Dance Studio.” My heart started pounding as we walked up the stairs to the office. We signed in and were shortly helped. The lady at the desk asked me if I had any dance clothes. I showed her my tights and shoes. She told us we had to buy jazz shoes, ballet shoes, and a black leotard. I had no Idea I would need so much for classes.

My mom bought everything I needed for classes and left. I quickly went to the bathroom and got changed. I felt to naked in my new dance clothes. The lady at the front desk told me to go straight to the back for my first class. My first class was jazz. I thought I was nervous before, but my heart was pounding and I was shaking when I was introduced to the teacher and the class.

Once I was introduced to the teacher, she told the girls to do the dance from the top. The song was a remix of “bust your windows” by Jazmine Sullivan. I couldn't believe that I was about to learn the dance that they did. I was speechless.  There was so much movement and sass, From head rolls and snaps to chassés and jazz runs. I wanted to get right to it. After jazz I had ballet, hip-hop and modern. I knew that this was the missing piece to my puzzle. Dance became my everything.

Right now i've been dancing for almost 4 years and will be interning at a hip-hop dance studio. This is only the start. Dance has become my second nature. From the way i walk to when i'm just talking to someone, I can't stop myself from doing small movements. Dance came in my life and sure isn't leaving anytime soon.