For as long as I can remember, dance has been at the center of my life. At 2-years-old, my mother put me in “mommy and me” dance classes, where I began with ballet and tap. Now, at 19-years-old, I am a dance major at Hofstra University and am loving the form more than ever before.
Before the start of my own dance journey came my mom’s love for dance. My mother started dancing when she was 10-years-old after watching Debbie Allen in the movie “Fame.” Allen’s movement sparked inspiration in my mother and she began the discovery of her passion for dance.
My mother attended John Dewey High School in Brooklyn, New York, and studied dance. In high school, she was presented with opportunities to expand her knowledge of the arts and work with seasoned professionals. One opportunity that stood out to her was meeting and taking classes with Alvin Ailey. Ailey is a world-renowned choreographer and dancer and his company, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, has created endless opportunities for dancers across several decades.
In college, my mother majored in biology but wanted to continue dancing after graduating from a performing arts high school. She started her own dance club at Borough of Manhattan Community College to develop her skills on a higher level. During her time in college, she made many connections with dance professionals and met Dyane Harvey-Salaam. Harvey became my mother’s dance mentor and introduced her to her husband’s dance company, Forces of Nature.
My mother recounts her time with Forces of Nature and the opportunity to dance at the Apollo Theatre as “very meaningful.” She danced with the company for nearly a decade and gained the experience of dancing professionally in New York City.
Years after her professional experience, she had me and instinctively put me into dance classes. For most of my youth, I was trained by my mother in various forms of dance including ballet, modern and African. She would take me to dance conferences with her to expose me to different styles of dance at a young age.
When I was 10-years-old, my mother started her own company, Jubilee Dance. I took classes with her and developed my technique in various styles, learned to pick up choreography quickly and developed my own passion for dance. Learning from my mom and seeing her dance is what inspired me to continue pursuing dance for myself.
I attended Talent Unlimited High School as a dance major to continue my dance training. Already following in my mother’s footsteps, I chose to attend a performing arts high school. Just like my mother had experienced during her time in high school, I was exposed to seasoned professionals and new styles, and my passion for dance grew.
Dance had become an outlet for my emotions, and I fell completely in love with developing my technique.
During my senior year of high school, I decided to apply to colleges with the intent of majoring in journalism. I still loved dance but was weary of the idea of having it as my career. My mother urged me to hold on to dance in some form during college because she knew how much it meant to me. I decided to stick with the journalism major and considered keeping dance as a minor or extracurricular. I had a new passion for writing and believed that would suffice.
After a few months, I had received all my acceptance letters and was leaning towards committing to Hofstra. I visited Hofstra for an Admitted Students Day and the Lawrence Herbert School of Communication had the best program I had seen for journalism. During the tour, my mom and I were told there was a dance studio on the second floor of the building. I was caught up in the excitement of Studio A and all that the communications school had to offer, but my mom urged me to look at the dance studio.
When we entered the studio, we were greeted by enrolled dance majors and professor Robert Cook. My mother and I sat down, and the students told me more about Hofstra’s dance department. I told them I was considering a minor in dance and explained my current level of experience. The students then introduced me to the idea of a double major.
We then toured Emily Lowe Hall with a senior dance major, and she told us even more about the department. During the tour, she mentioned the opportunity to take African dance with none other than Dyane Harvey-Salaam. What were the chances that the very person who mentored my mother when she was in college was teaching dance at the university I wanted to attend?
Now I’m a double major in journalism and dance at Hofstra. Harvey is a mentor to me the same way she was to my mother during her time in college. With the encouragement of my mother, I’m pursuing both of my passions simultaneously. I’m thankful for the opportunity to do so. With all the stress and worry that comes with starting college, dance has been the one consistent thing in my life that has kept me grounded and helped me adjust to this new and exciting chapter.
My mother and I now share conversations connecting her college dance experience to mine. Being able to share my experiences and dance aspirations with her has come full circle. I have interest in auditioning for Forces of Nature just like she did at my age. Despite my initial fears of pursuing dance as a career, I am now fully following in my mother’s footsteps, and I am unafraid to take chances and go after my passions.
To my mom, thank you for being my biggest inspiration and number one supporter. You’ve introduced me to the outlet of using my movement as a form of expression. Your passion for dance continues through me daily. Thank you for teaching me to never be afraid to pursue and chase after everything I desire in life.
