What Does RDC Mean To Me? - Guoria's Perspective

When I walked into this foreign dance studio at 8 years old, I was terrified. Meeting new people scared me more than anything and learning new things came close in second. I was scared that people would judge me because I couldn’t dance. I couldn’t even walk in a straight line without tripping over my feet, so how was I supposed to move my body like everyone else? Like a dancer…. But slowly, over the years, RDC helped me learn how to be confident and be comfortable in my own skin. 

​The first two years I took dance, I didn’t consider myself as a dancer. During classes, I only talked to one person that I kind of knew from school. I never told people I dance and did ballet among other classes. I was this tough kid who tackled people at recess because she could. The term ballerina would just make me seem weak. Meanwhile, back at the studio, I was still not performing well. In other words, I was totally sucking at this dance thing. During recitals, I’d always be half a beat behind everyone else because I couldn’t remember the choreography. I’d just copy whatever the teacher happened to be doing in the wings. It got even worse when we had to change formations because the teachers couldn’t help me with that. To be honest, I’m disappointed in myself from two years ago, when I thought I couldn’t dance. 

Over the years, I became more confident. I made new friends. My teachers taught me so much and some more that don’t involve dance. I learned what it meant to have support. We used to do cyphers in hip hop (everyone gets in a circle and one person freestyles in the middle) and it really encouraged me as I saw my friends in a circle around me cheering me on. I learned to be comfortable with my body during ballet classes when I was literally a bodysuit and a pair of tights away from being naked. It was when we did ballet exams or danced on pointe that I learned to smile through the pain. I learned so many valuable lessons that aren't taught in school and for that I am grateful.

Now, if you asked me where I spend my Thursday nights, I would say “at my dance studio” with pride. (Although it would be weird for someone to ask me that oddly specific question.) I would tell you that I loved it there, even though I only took a couple recreational classes. I’ve gotten to know a lot of people there over the years and all of them slowly became friends that I didn’t realize I had. I’ve even starting liking my teachers and trust me, that doesn’t happen very often in school. I’ve come to love dance and everything about it; from the music to the choreo to the styles. It’s not a class I go to because I have to, but it’s a place where I can be myself. Now I know that sounds really cheesy but there’s nothing else I can think of that would describe the truth in a better way. 

RDC has been a part of my past and helped shape me into the person I am today. It’s a place to develop my skills as a dancer and have fun while doing it. It’s more than a dance studio to me. So what does really RDC mean to me? It means family and friends and everything else cliché. I love being at the studio and hope to be able to spend more time there. 

Guoria S. (Age 14)
Dance Student
​Royal Dance Conservatory