Journey of: The Empowered Artist!
Ive always loved dancing but was never able to see myself as a dancer, or had the confidence that I could be a professional dancer & be someone. I was busy paying attention to what I thought I should be, based on what I thought people expected of me so that I could be accepted by others. There was no room to even think about connecting with myself.
I thought, I can only be a dancer if I learn hip-hop and western styles. I didn’t really think much of what I was doing with Bharatanatyam at time as real dance, I definitely didn’t have the guts to tell anyone I wanted to really pursue dance, it was just a dream I would fantasize but about as I was bored in class. I never really explored freestyle dancing or understand what dancing for myself meant, really channeling my inner emotions to express through movement.
Dance was just something I did to perform, it was a fun but I wasn’t able to see the dancer in me nor was I close to acknowledging the artist in me. Listening to myself was a far fetched thought. I was like no, I have to do what everyone is doing.
I actually stopped right before I went to college and didn’t think much of it, and slowly started trickling into bollywood dance during my junior year of college. At this time I hadn’t even realized I wanted to pursue dance, I didn’t understand my strengths and talents at all and thought I was good at nothing. My ‘breakthrough performance’ for myself was learning all the steps from Nagada Sang Dhol-thats when I realized maybe I am decent at this and I do enjoy it.
I started getting involved with Bollywood dance teaching it but thats what made me realize how much I missed learning and growing and started connecting the dots to understanding what the artist in me was trying to say.
From that point on I started really exploring me, and the artist in me, just listening to my inner voice. I rejoined classical training and it’s been an amazing journey since then, healing, growing and connecting with my true self which I kept hidden for long, out of fear of just being.
Slowly I began to realize, yes I do want to pursue this, and I attracted some amazing dance coaches in my life who help me discover ME every class. Which I feel is SO important in your growth in any endeavor you pursue!
There is nothing more freeing than accepting who you are and investing yourself to become the best version of that! ❤️
