Celebrating a Passion: Paige’s Dance Experience

Paige, Age 14

How long have you been dancing?

I’ve been dancing since I was three years old.

How has your experience progressed?

It’s actually progressed a lot. I started in the teacher’s garage, and it was ballet, tap, hip-hop, and lyrical maybe too. But that was pretty much it. After that, we moved to a different studio, and that was more than the first one, and that's when I first started competition. And it was a lot of fun, but then that studio closed down when COVID hit. So, then we moved to our current studio, and since then I feel like I’ve been progressing so much more than at any of the other studios.

How does it feel to be more experienced now?

It makes me feel very proud, because the other weekend I was with one of my friends, and we were watching our old dances, and I’m like… what were we doing? But now, watching our dances, it’s like, wow, we’ve come so far.

What does it feel like to walk on stage?

Usually, right before I’m very nervous, but then, once I walk out and the stage lights hit me, I’m like, okay, I know this dance and I can just do it.

What is your favorite dance? How do you feel when you are doing it?

My favorite style is probably contemporary because it’s so open for interpretation, and you can just do whatever you want. You can make it more jazzy, but it can also be more slow and emotional.

When you’re in the middle of a dance, what is going through your mind?

I’m thinking about finding new things to do. When I improv I want to try and find new movements to change what I’m doing.

How is practice different than when you’re on stage?

When I’m in practice, I’m thinking about everything the teachers have corrected so that I can fix it. On stage before the dance I’m thinking a lot about it, but then on stage I don’t think about it.

How often do you practice?

We have classes Monday through Thursday during the week, and on Saturdays. Sometimes you could be practicing from nine to five. When you’re practicing, the only people watching you most of the time are the teachers, so it’s not that much stress. It’s okay if you mess up. But when you get on stage, that's it. You have to do it, all eyes are on you and your team.

Do you ever have an “off” day? If so, how do you shift back into focus?

I have off days all the time, especially when the school year starts. Not so much over the summer, but when you have to wake up at six o'clock and go to school, and then go straight to dance right after school. It can be a lot. But usually I just take a second, I’m like, okay, you’re really not focusing. And so I take a breather, go over the choreography if we’re doing a combo, and then I just try to do the best that I can, and I accept that it’s an off day, and I know that I can do better.

What advice would you give to a dancer who is just starting out scared to begin with?

I’d say, if you’re afraid to start, there’s nothing really to worry about, because all the girls at our studio will easily become friends with you. You’re going to fit in anyways. And if you’re nervous for a class, sure, maybe the first week or two you won’t do as good, but at least for me, when I was there for at least for the first year, it was kind of hard. But ever since then, it’s gotten easier and easier.

What was your favorite part of the experience?

My favorite part was probably getting to see my pictures and stuff, because with all of my makeup on I look like a totally different person.