Earlier this year I performed a solo contemporary routine to Billie Eilish’s when the party’s over. While I do think I performed well I had issues with the stage I was performing on(rubber carpeting and large speakers restricting my floorwork) and I wasn’t able to perform at the standard I intended to. So when gecko factor came around I was determined to perfect that routine and perform it at school. Gecko factor is essentially the secondary school talent show and this being my first year at OSC I thought it would be a great event to be part of.  However, things didn’t go as smoothly as I intended. The week before the show I was having recurring back pains after spraining my back from doing too many backbends during rehearsals for another performance. I was advised to take a break meaning that I couldn’t rehearse my routine as much as would like. Never the less I still made sure to go over the dance in my head constantly and mark it with music during my free time. 

On the day of the competition, I wasn’t as nervous as I usually am before a performance. Having other performers around me backstage definitely helped me calm my nerves. I really enjoyed performing and the audience support was amazing. While I did manage to place what I found more valuable was what I learned through this experience which is the importance of believing in myself, learning to deliver great performance even with minimal rehearsal time. As a dancer, I’ve always struggled with confidence and stage nerves especially if I haven’t had enough time in the studio. Learning to be confident about my dancing has been a slow process one the at I continue to this day. As I continue performing and competing I hope to continue growing as a dancer continuously working on my style, artistry, and technique.