By LELA JENKINS – Guest Writer
I decided to be a dancer in the first grade, after a field trip to the Morton Theatre where I saw girls nearly my age put all of their heart into totally synchronized movement while being watched by a live audience.
Clarke Central High School freshman Lela Jenkins found her passion at a young age and she has chosen to express herself through dance. Cartoon by William Kissane.
Even at a young age, I knew this was exactly how I wanted to express myself.
My mother agreed to let me take dance lessons. As an artist herself, she greatly appreciates the importance of having a creative outlet. Since then I have been dancing at the East Athens Educational Dance Center and performing at the Morton Theatre for the annual production. This year will mark my seventh year dancing there, but this year has been very different from the rest.
The G.I.F.T.E.D. Performing Ensemble is the highest level of dance the EAEDC offers, and after last year’s annual production I finally decided to audition for it. As I expected, G.I.F.T.E.D. requires much more dedication and commitment than the rest of the programs. Our dance teachers now expect only the best from us.
The dancers in my group, many of whom have been dancing years longer than I, aren’t easy on newcomers either. Their critiques are brutally honest but extremely constructive, as they only intend to make us better dancers. On top of the pressure that comes with being a dedicated dancer, my first year of high school has begun.
This year I’ve committed myself to actually studying for exams and not procrastinating to do homework. Taking the time to balance my dedication to dance and schoolwork makes juggling the two a lot easier. Sometimes, I even find time to hang out with friends and do girly things like see the midnight premiere of Breaking Dawn — after I go to dance, of course.
Dancing is one of the many things I love in life. I may dance because of the skills I gain and the creativity that adds diversity to my life, but that isn’t the only reason I dance.
Dance also makes me a more disciplined person. Through it I’ve learned many lessons. I’ve learned how important it is to make an effort in everything I do, how to work together with other people to create something beautiful and how to express my emotions in a meaningful way.
When I was younger I didn’t realize how important it was for people to share these special feelings. Now I know that dance is how I can and need to express myself — for myself, and for whoever is watching.
