In high school, there was no such thing as the “popular jocks” or the “geeky drama kids.” There was a slight divide in that their interests were vastly different, but they were not stereotyped as they usually are in movies or on television shows. The kids who played sports obviously had their friends on their respective teams, and the kids involved with the arts spent most of their time in classes or at rehearsals, but that did not mean they had to stay secluded on their specific “side.” That was what I liked most about my high school—they encouraged everyone to be friends with whomever they wanted, no matter what their interests were.
I was one of those people that was involved with the arts department in high school, specifically the performing arts side. Before getting involved with the arts department, I considered myself to be a shy person. I was not very outgoing and I had a hard time making conversation with people I did not know. I always felt like I was being judged, for no reason whatsoever, and I was afraid to put myself out there to new people; I didn’t think I would have anything in common with anyone from my high school. I only had a few friends from my middle school that came with me to my high school, so I was fearful that they were the only ones I would stay friends with for the duration of high school.
When I first entered my dance class freshman year, I looked around and noticed that I could find something in common with all the girls—we all liked to dance. We all felt like we could express ourselves through dance and just be ourselves around each other because it was a judgement-free zone. My dance teacher constantly reminded us that we all shared a special bond in that we could be our true selves through dance and that we could create pieces of art together that no other group of people could do, or stop us from doing. That was something that I would carry with me throughout my time in high school, and even beyond.
Freshman year I had only been enrolled in a dance class that I took during the day. I did not immerse myself heavily into the arts department until my sophomore year. I had tried out for my school’s dance team a second time, and made it, which was a big accomplishment for myself. The opportunity also arose for me to become one of the assistant directors for my school’s play, which was a big responsibility to take on.
As a member of my school’s dance team, numerous hours had to be put into rehearsals during and after school. Yes, they were long and tiring, but how else would we be able to become the best? The amount of time spent fixing formations, cleaning choreography, and going over counts was incredible, but it was all worth it in the end. The time I spent in rehearsal not only helped improve the routines, but it also helped me become a better dancer and person. If it hadn’t been for the persistency of my dance team coach, and the encouragement from my friends and family, I would not have had the will to continue improving my skills. The same goes for my time as the assistant director of the school play. I went through some difficult times dealing with certain things, but I had to overcome them and move on. I knew it would be a rough position to hold going into it, but I mustered up enough energy and courage to keep going with it. Through both activities, I learned about hard work, discipline, and the desire to want to be the best.
Through dance and the play, I was able to meet some of the greatest people ever. Not to mention, the talent they possessed was incredible. Every time I sat in a rehearsal for the play, I would get chills listening to my friends sing, wishing I could be as amazing as they were. When I watched my best friend perform her solo for the first time, I almost cried because she was that good. I felt privileged to be friends with the most talented people in school, and to even be considered talented myself. No one looked at us as being the “weird” kids because we liked to perform; they, more often than that, claimed to want to be like us. Everyone in my high school praised us for our talent and sometimes said to me and my friends, “Wow, I wish I was on dance team!” It was no secret that our dance team brought the crowds to each football game, or that when it was play season, people were willing to pay money to see the show more than once. It was all because we worked hard to draw the attention of outsiders, and make them want to see more of what we were capable of.
With this all being said, I just want to say thank you to my high school arts department. Had I not become involved with dance or the school play, I would not be the person I am today. I was able to make my best friends through dance, have a leadership position through the play, and work with an incredible teacher and director that taught me important life skills. Thank you for continuing to work to be the best to draw in other talented students that want to make the program better. Some day, there may be another student who feels the same as me, who owes the bulk of their high school experience to the arts department. Yes, I may be considered as one of those arts “geeks,” but I wouldn’t change that for anything.
