A dark stage, a quiet theater, whispers heard as the audience waits for the show to start. Suddenly, the lights come on as the music starts to play and the audience cheers with enthusiasm. The dancers gracefully take the stage with infectious smiles on their faces, ignoring the lights blinding them in favor of their passion for dancing. As a young dancer, I looked up to the older girls who were on the stage that were proud to be able to represent the dance company and were so enthusiastic to perform for hundreds of people. These girls were my role models because they were passionate, kind, and confident - everything I aspired to be as both a dancer and as a person. However, unlike the older girls I danced with, I was incredibly shy. It was …show more content…
I was surrounded by new people that I didn’t know how to talk to. Nevertheless, when we would perform at competitions and recitals, I would dance with a confidence that I had never experienced before. The shy, quiet persona I hid behind would melt away when I was dancing on stage and I would emerge as a whole new person. My favorite performance was at Lincoln Center. As a Bollywood dance team that performed at mainly Indian events, it was a whole new experience to dance in front of an audience that was unaccustomed to Indian dances and culture. When we arrived at the theater, I was so nervous to be dancing in front of so many people, but as soon as I got on stage, all my fears washed away. I felt very confident performing a dance I was proud of, and the audience was so supportive and appreciative of us. The applause they gave us was deafening, and for the first time, I knew how those older girls felt every time they walked on stage. Being able to share this experience with my teammates brought me close to them and helped us to develop an indescribable bond. Now, there are girls on the pre-junior and junior teams for whom I have become the role model, and I plan on helping the younger dancers in return for the unforgettable experience I have been given since joining the competition