BRONZE - Jenna Stevens
I don’t just dance because I love it, I
dance because it’s my passion.
Singling out one reason why I dance
would be extremely hard to do. One of
the many reasons I dance is because I
am able to express myself in a way
other than words.
Being able to tell a story through the
movement of your body is absolutely
amazing. Imaging life without dance is
so hard to do. Dancing has had such
an impact on my life and I can't imagine
leaving it behind.
My life long goals for dance are going to college and getting a dance
major. I want to do this so I can become a teacher after college. Being
able to teach something I love so much to other people who have the
same passion would mean the world to me. Being a professional dancer
sounds amazing but giving others what was given to me sounds even
better.
I believe I’m a good candidate to receive this scholarship because I am so
dedicated to dance and I try my hardest is every class to improve. Getting
this scholarship would help me be able to go to a summer intensive which
will help further mycareerindance.
Going to an intensive will give me the additional dance experience I need
to be able to teach others. Another reason this scholarship would be
appreciated is because the cost of a summer
intensive is very expensive and I would love
to help my parents pay for it since they have
been so supportive of me and my dancing
career.
SILVER - Rebecca Nugent
I was enrolled in my first dance class at the
age of 12 which was shortly after I was
adopted from Ethiopian and moved to the
United States. When I first arrived in the
United States, I went through extreme
culture shock. I had never shopped in a
grocery store, eaten in a restaurant, or learned to read. Adjusting to life in
the United States was difficult. Although I sometimes had trouble fitting in to
my new life, I immediately felt at home when I started taking dance lessons.
Learning to dance felt like coming home. Today, after attending morning
college classes, I spend the rest of my day either taking dance classes,
teaching, or attending rehearsals. No matter what problems I am dealing
with in my life, I immediately feel the negativity lift when I enter the dance
studio. When I am dancing, I feel whole. I am overcome with such joy when
I am dancing that even trying to describe it in this essay brought me to
tears.
One of my long term goals for dance would be to dance with a professional
company. The size of the company would not matter as long as it offered
me the opportunity to dance and train all day long. After my professional
career, I would like to become a physical therapist for dancers. As a
dancer, I am aware of the lack of physical therapists that specialize in
dance. I would also like to someday open my own non-profit dance studio. I
know what it is like to love something so much but not have the income
required to participate, and because of that I want to open a business that
allows people who are less fortunate the opportunity to experience the
happiness dance has given me.
If I was awarded any of the DSH scholarships, I would feel a sense of
recognition, accomplishment and appreciation. As a dancer, I am always
always looking and working towards opportunities such as the DSH
scholarships. Being a full time collage student, dancer, and teacher I would
be beyond grateful to be awarded a scholarship that would help me
continue my dance training.
GOLD - Wynne Pevec
Why I Dance
I dance because making other people
feel the same happiness and inspiration
that dancing brings me makes me feel
like I have done my part in making the
world happy and peaceful. When I hear
music, I can’t help but make up a way to
move to it. Different music makes me
want to move in different styles of
dance and use different emotions.
When I choreograph a dance, I will find
myself unable to do a step or movement
