November: Kara Ko

November: What are you grateful for as a dancer? 

(something you can't live without, or what dance does for you etc)

TEXAS FUTURE DANCE EDUCATORS: NOVEMBER 2014

COLLEGE AMBASSADOR: KARA KO

With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, I want to take the time to appreciate everything life has given me. As a dancer, I am entirely grateful and thankful for many different reasons. When I say many reasons, I mean MANY REASONS! Here I go.

I am grateful for…

o   The gift, love, and passion of dance.

o   A healthy body.

o   A supportive and loving family. Especially my parents!

o   My old studio back in Texas. Without them, I wouldn’t be same dancer or person.

o   Being at Arizona State University as a Dance Education major. Ah the dance program is entirely AMAZING AND SUPPORTIVE!

o   The many dance opportunities and connections I have at ASU.

o   Doing what I love to do everyday.

o   Every dancer teacher that I have encounter in the past year.

o   My past dance experiences.

o   My friends. I truly love them.

o   God. Without Him, my life wouldn’t be filled with love, grace, and humbleness.

From this past year till now, I have learned so much about myself. Wow, it still amazes me! At the second semester of my senior year in high school, I was honestly a little burnt out of dance, but I did not understand why. I knew why in my head, but I never wanted to admit it out loud to people. I couldn’t find that drive or spark that kept me going and going. I was on this path where I couldn’t seem to improve or find a voice throughout my dancing. It was comparison. This is what drove me to insanity because I never thought I was going to be good enough, so there was a point I wanted to give up. I felt like I wasn’t getting approval, and I always thought negatively on what people were going to think when I danced. Through the guidance of two dance teachers, I found myself again. Every competition, I kept telling myself to dance for Kara and not to care or worry of what others thought. And it magically worked through time, and eventually clicked. I got an award of recognition from the judges and placed first overall twice. Competitions always brought up insecurities and unnecessary anxiety, for me at least. My happiness does not revolve around a winning trophy, my happiness stems from the drive and love I have for dance. I love it how when you stop and go back on why you dance, the entire outcome changes. This was a battling process to go through, but I am forever grateful to have experienced it because it taught me so much. And I am much thankful for my two dancer teachers because without their help, I wouldn’t be same person as I am today. Through this experience, it has given me freedom through dance. It’s an outlet for me to express something new and to explore movement. Dance gives me a structured, balanced, and disciplined lifestyle. I can’t even express enough how thankful I am to experience this hardship because I learned so many things about myself that I didn’t even know. It’s so crazy to even say that, but it’s so true. Be thankful for EVERYTHING, even the struggles and hardships.

“The ONLY dancer you should compare yourself to is the one you used to be.”