Self-Improvement, Piano, Dance
It’s 5:30 pm and I’ve come home to an empty house. My dad works late night shifts and my mom usually gets home at 11pm. As I walk to the dinner table to start homework, I see the $30 left for me and my brother to buy dinner for ourselves.
Growing up without my parents hovering over me, I seized the opportunity to cultivate independence from a young age. Placed in the ESL program as soon as I started school, I figured out a new language by myself since no one in my household spoke English. I would help my brother, taking on the role of his guardian, never hitting the snooze button (5:30am sharp!). Years later, I signed myself up for swimming lessons because my parents never taught me (I couldn’t even float). My independence gave me the opportunity to seek within myself and find ways that I could self-improve.
After 8 years of piano, I started to deviate from classical music because I felt suffocated within the parameters of Bach, Beethoven, and Chopin. I stumbled upon videos of jazz and modern piano music, and I was quickly fascinated and inspired to learn the harmony. I learned Nuvole Bianche by Ludovico Einaudi before bringing the actual sheet music to my teacher to perfect the piece. I further delved into the work of Ludovico Einaudi by buying his book filled with pieces composed for solo piano. I found his pieces enjoyable to listen to and learn because of their recurring melodic patterns, almost as if they were songs with words. By asserting myself within my music education and seeking new inspiration, I was able to authentically connect with my teacher, develop a mentorship with her, and become an active participant in what and how I learn.
From opening myself up to new environments, I was able to explore what it means to be disciplined and ambitious by pursuing dance. Through three hours of training everyday, I became responsible for my own growth, knowing it was my job as a student to come to dance ready and hungry to absorb new information. Listening and applying corrections that my teacher provides, I’ve learned to enjoy receiving criticism because it helps me stay invested in my learning as it doesn’t give me a false reality of my technique. To guide my learning I often stand in the front in order to demonstrate my willingness to learn, participate, and lead the class. Dance taught me to take authority in my own learning process.
Dance has taught me other lessons as well. My rigorous training has helped me develop a skill for studying movements for details and nuances. Observing the combination being taught, I’ll memorize the pathway the port de bras would travel, for example, or the timing of the accents of the dégagés. Focusing on the use of the plié and épaulement makes for a smoother transition. True learning takes place when you focus on the tiny details. Over many years of training, I’ve noticed that everyone has different facilities that enable dancers to approach movement differently. This knowledge allowed me to determine my own physical limits and goals. As a dancer, I’ve developed physical self-awareness by monitoring how I should place my body, and this has given me the unexpected ability of personal authority within my everyday decisions.
All of my life experiences will serve me along my path to becoming a successful business woman. My natural disposition to dedicate my mind to growth in all areas of my life, will serve me well in my college life and as a business leader.