Do you ever root for the underdog or seem to like someone even though on paper they are not half as good as other people at their craft? I can honestly say that I root for the underdog. My favorite football team is the Philadelphia Eagles, and they haven’t won a Superbowl yet, and lately haven’t had the best seasons. I am from New England, but I really hate the Patriots. Why? Well, when I watch my team play I see something in them that I don’t see a lot in other teams: heart and passion.

When I began dancing at College and taking classes, I was very shy and felt like I wasn’t very good. It seemed like everyone knew what to do and looked like they had been doing dance forever. I would constantly compare myself to the other girls, until my sophomore year of College, when I was taking two dance classes in one term. Most people didn’t do this, even if they could have. I absolutely loved having dance twice in one day. After that term I began taking two dance classes every term and still wanted more. It was like dance was my drug and I needed more, and I took every opportunity to dance. I noticed a quote on the wall of the dance studio that read, “Dancers are not great because of their technique, they are great because of their passion.” This quote now constantly runs through my mind, especially if I have a moment where I doubt my dance abilities. I started seeing my fellow dancers and other performers very differently after truly understanding this quote and how important it is to remember. I stopped looking at the numbers and how long someone has been doing their craft. I started looking to see if their heart was showing. If when they performed they took me with them. When they took a breath, did I breathe with them. When they change emotions did I change emotions with them.

When you can experience someone else’s passion, it is one of the coolest feelings. When you realize you love something so much and try so hard and it pays off, that is an even greater feeling. When someone tells me my heart or passion is showing, I know I am doing something right. I can tell when I am dancing from the heart. There is a rush you get and sense of overwhelming joy and awesomeness. Not everyone does something with all their heart, and some people just go through the motions. Think about when you watch a performance of any sort. What do you look for? Why do you think someone did better than the others? Why is that one person really standing out to you? It could be there is a spark or an aura that you can’t quite put your finger on.

What does passion feel like? Well, we all experience things differently. Passion to me is feeling like you need to do that one thing all the time. It’s a sensation that goes through your body that just feels like pure amazingness. It feels like your heart is breaking when you aren’t doing it or you have a thought about never being able to do it ever again. It’s just beautiful. I hope everyone pursues their passion and has something they are passionate about. I know my passion and I will always dance, no matter what. You should do the same and never give up on your passion.