Dance has always been an integral part of my life. Beginning dance classes at Encore Dance Academy in Shiloh, Illinois, at age three, and joining Encore's Competitive Company at age seven, I reveled in having my makeup done, complete the false eyelashes that I so loved, having my hair styled, putting on a ruffly tutu or a rhinestoned dress, and performing on stage for friends, family, and judges. Encore was a very small studio, with a company of only eighteen girls, so we quickly formed tight, lasting bonds. This ensured that, growing up, I always had older girls to look up to who ensured that all of the younger girls felt welcomed and comfortable at the studio. When I finally graduated from "Little Sister" to "Big Sister," I was thrilled to be able to do the same for my younger girls; my friends and I loved spoiling them with gifts for competitions, birthdays, and holidays and listening to the dramas of elementary school. As we were all so close, we were able to practice and perform very well as a team; coupled with the work-ethic and competitiveness that had been drilled into us since preschool and our solid technique, we earned a number of national titles.

When I entered college, I knew that I wanted to continue dancing, so I auditioned for and was accepted to The Dance Company at Loyola, an organization that allows students to choreograph their own pieces, which they then set on their fellow company members and perform in a showcase. This year, my peers elected me as the company's Rehearsal Director, a leadership role that puts me in charge of reserving appropriate spaces for all of our practices, ensuring that all members of the company are attending all rehearsals and taking the initiative to learn and master the choreography they are given, and alleviating any problems that arise when the policies laid out in our constitution are not met. Additionally, I have recently tried my hand at choreographing tap numbers; I am quite proud of the piece that my dancers and I performed last semester, and I currently teaching a new number to my fellow company members, with whom I adore working. 

Below, please see a contemporary piece that I choreographed for an Honors Course at Loyola University Chicago about the new possibilities opened up for women as humankind transforms to the posthuman.