Dancer. Academic. Queer. Globetrotting Handstander.
Dancer
"contemporary dancer with a fosse flare."
Dance is something that has defined my life for as l can remember. It was my first sense of community and is what initially inspired my adventures; having to travel for workshops, auditions and performances. Post-highschool, I spent a year hopping back and forth between New York City and Paris, before completely transferring to the prestigious London Contemporary Dance School, where I spent the next three years training intensely. There, I blossomed. There, I rooted myself into the depths of its extremely explorative, curious, artistic and collaborative community, and allowed myself to bloom with each new experience. Aside from improving technically, I've explored costume design, light design, choreography, teaching pedagogies, and have put myself forward into positions of leadership.
Academic
"What do you want to be when you grow up?" -everyone, ever.
"A dancing doctor." Me at 10; still me at 22.
It is with endless gratitude for the most supportive group of friends imaginable, and amazing academic tutors with continuous and unwavering encouragement, that I've finally learned to bridge my life-long passion for dance with my alternative life-long passions for medicine and education. I aspire to heal, share my passion through the art of teaching, and make a ripple through education, globally. Currently, I am working towards completing my Masters in Dance Science at Trinity Laban Conservatoire for Music and Dance. Topics I am interested in researching include but are not limited to: relationships between movement and optimizing forebrain lateralization, and safe training (through intervention) in competitive environments.
Queer.
I came out to my closest friends and family in the fall of 2018, with my then- girlfriend at the time, and I guess through this blog I am right now coming out the rest of the world. The only thing is... even I am not really sure what it is that I'm coming out as...
I use she / her pronouns, and am a queer woman. I have been in both heterosexual relationships, as well as homosexual. If you were to ask me right now, I also believe that it is possible to love more than one human at a time; whatever that means.
Why do I feel it's important to broadcast this part of my life?
Growing up I was never exposed to anything other than orthodox. In a public high school with nearly 1,600 students, I knew a whopping two people who were 'out,' and apart from high school, I had one gay male friend. At the time, it was considered 'hip' to have a GBF, but the mere thought of two girls kissing was-- and I quote-- "cringy." Until moving to London where I was exposed to a diverse queer culture, I never before then allowed myself to accept my own thoughts, which for so long I only knew as being "wrong" or "different." And it wasn't until I found a group of the most unconditionally loving, supportive, and accepting friends that I discovered how amazing it feels to live unapologetically, and to be accepted for who I am, as I am.
This is why I'm out. This is why I'm sharing my story. Because maybe, just maybe, somebody will read a post and know that it is OK to love who they want to love, or to be who they truly are at their core. Because, maybe they won't feel so alone and misunderstood like I did for years. Maybe it will show them that 'unorthodox' is not 'wrong' or 'different,' and that hopefully one day we won't have to feel 'unorthodox,' because different dynamics will finally be normalized and accepted by society. Maybe one day we will no longer have to fight for our human rights. Because, maybe one day sexuality won't be assumed, and no one will have to make "a travel blog" in order to come out to the world.
I use she / her pronouns, and am a queer woman. I have been in both heterosexual relationships, as well as homosexual. If you were to ask me right now, I also believe that it is possible to love more than one human at a time; whatever that means.
Why do I feel it's important to broadcast this part of my life?
Growing up I was never exposed to anything other than orthodox. In a public high school with nearly 1,600 students, I knew a whopping two people who were 'out,' and apart from high school, I had one gay male friend. At the time, it was considered 'hip' to have a GBF, but the mere thought of two girls kissing was-- and I quote-- "cringy." Until moving to London where I was exposed to a diverse queer culture, I never before then allowed myself to accept my own thoughts, which for so long I only knew as being "wrong" or "different." And it wasn't until I found a group of the most unconditionally loving, supportive, and accepting friends that I discovered how amazing it feels to live unapologetically, and to be accepted for who I am, as I am.
This is why I'm out. This is why I'm sharing my story. Because maybe, just maybe, somebody will read a post and know that it is OK to love who they want to love, or to be who they truly are at their core. Because, maybe they won't feel so alone and misunderstood like I did for years. Maybe it will show them that 'unorthodox' is not 'wrong' or 'different,' and that hopefully one day we won't have to feel 'unorthodox,' because different dynamics will finally be normalized and accepted by society. Maybe one day we will no longer have to fight for our human rights. Because, maybe one day sexuality won't be assumed, and no one will have to make "a travel blog" in order to come out to the world.
Hardstanding Across the Globe
I'll keep this one short and sweet— I crave adventure. I love discovering new places, and immersing myself into new cultures. I believe that experiencing the world makes one empathetic, and one step closer to 'wise.' A couple of times now, I've uprooted my life and have flown to someplace new, where I knew nobody yet created a community. Traveling in this way makes me feel appreciative, and teaches me something new every time. As said above, dance is what used to take me places, but now I find it's more than dance that can take me somewhere; it's myself. It's my passions and my curiosity crossed with my desire to learn.
The handstand that started it all: sometime ago on a school trip, we had spare time in our schedule, so trekked up one of Ecuador's eldest inactive volcanoes. Along the top, there was a sign that read "no trespassing," but behind it was a perch with the best 360 degree view. My friend OD is a professional photographer, and just so happened to be standing next to me when I first caught glimpse of the sign. I tapped him on the shoulder, and told him to follow me with his camera. No questions asked; we both crossed the barrier. That day marks the one of no return, and the handstand of all handstands.