Dance
The beauty of dance is beautiful as the universe, as the sun and shines every morning upon awakening, the dance is all passion and love for her, where you express your feelings, is that I’ve been in my soul. I encouraged at all time, if you concentrate and elevate your thought got here away let yourself go for the music and movements, the dancers are what make and give joy, is what the heart expresses do not let go live with her dance, live dance, enjoy it more and more , love dance.
Maria Alejandra Mendez from Bogota, Columbia age 14
I’ve Been Dancing for All My Life
by Abby Hardin
I’ve been dancing for all my life and what do I have to show:
some battered feet, a vulnerable heart, and an unassured ego.
You look in the mirror
and cringe in fear
of the image reflected back.
You make a mistake,
and your insides quake,
embarrassed of the skills that you lack.
As you stand in row,
your envy grows,
as everyone else seems to put on a show.
You think that you are progressing too slow,
and every critique feels like a final blow.
What am I doing?
Why am I here?
My heart is renewing
all my old fears.
Why do I do this day after day?
What has it brought me but stress and decay?
I should just leave without any delay.
But no matter what, I always will stay,
time after time, day after day.
I shrug on the leotard, pull on the tights,
and tell myself that it will turn out all right.
My own insecurities made me lose sight
of why I dance each and every night.
For when this first started,
when my first dance class began,
I had a dream of being the best dancer I can.
Visions of elegance and beauty swept through my head,
and I twirled ‘round my room instead of going to bed.
And now I’ve seen glimpses, a fleeting glance,
of how I’ve always wished I that could dance.
And every new day, I get the chance
to see how far that I can advance.
I’ve come a long way since I first began,
but I’m only beginning to understand
that dance may be hard and scary and tough.
It will beat you down before it builds you back up.
The journey is difficult, the road long.
But it’s worth every minute because it’s where I belong.
I’ve been dancing for all my life and what do I have to show:
some iron feet, a hopeful heart, and the boundless ability to grow.
Gary Flannery will be joining IBT Summer Intensive next week so get your Fosse on!
DANCE
Dancing is like a dream
