From Garage to Spotlight: Sayde’s Journey as a Dancer

Sayde, Age 11

How long have you been dancing?

Since I was like three or four.

How has your experience progressed?

It progressed a lot. I started at this small studio in a girl's garage. Then we went to a different studio which was better, but it didn't have the best technique. That studio tried to move to a different place but iit never made it. Then we went to our current studio and I improved a lot when I went there.

How does it feel to be more experienced now?

When I went on stage before, I felt like I never really did the best I could. But now that I definitely have improved, I feel like I do a lot better. I place at some competitions, and I feel a lot better doing it.

What does it feel like to walk on stage?

I get really nervous before I do anything, because I always have a fear of forgetting what I'm going to do even though I've run it a million times before. It's really different from doing it in the studio, because then you have a bunch of people watching you, and there's judges and lights and makeup. But you still do the same dance, so it's kind of different.

What is your favorite dance? How do you feel when you're in it?

My favorite style is jazz, because you can do facial expressions, and play around with different things. It's really fun and upbeat.

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

When I'm on stage, when I'm dancing, sometimes I do realize what I'm thinking is totally weird. Then I start thinking about what I'm thinking about, while I'm still dancing. Then I kind of get confused, and I just continue to dance and forget about my thoughts.

How often do you practice? How is practice different than when you're on stage?

I practice Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and sometimes Saturdays.It helps a lot for when you're going to be on stage, you can really get a feel of what the dance is. Once you really know it, you feel more comfortable doing it on stage.

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

I do have some off days, like where you're not focused and dance enough. Vy realizing it, you kind of fix yourself, and then you try to get more into it, because some days, you just don't feel like going to dance.

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

If you really focus, you can build up and become way stronger, and you can really then start expressing everything once you get your technique, and you realize you can put emotions, technique, faces all together, then you can really start to dance.

What was your favorite part of this photo-shoot experience?

My favorite part was probably getting ready, Gretchen doing my makeup and hair, because usually, for competitions, I do it all myself. When I was younger, my mom would just do it real quick and it was probably the first time someone did it for me.