Dance
May 2025
Ava at Dance Competition
Here I am at my most recent dance competition in Redondo Beach. This is my solo dance costume, & I really had fun with my choreography at this competition. My performance reflected some of my favorite dance styles. My dance teacher designed my choreography with me in mind, & I danced to upbeat Jazz with a 70s-inspired vibe. For this competition, I received 1st Place in my category, & this was very exciting for me, especially since it was my last performance of the year. It really helped me go out with a bang!
February 2025
Ava at Dance Competition
This photo was from my group dance for this past year, which me & 8 other girls. Our performance was Contemporary dance with a ‘Fallen Angel’ theme that carried a special message of the value of social & cultural unity. The idea that we’re all in this together, & we can make the conscious decision to fly together toward progress, prosperity & joy is an important message for all. We were thrilled that we won 3rd Place in our category, because it was a large competition with teams coming from all over to showcase their best skills. Meeting dancers from all over California is always a special treat, & seeing everyone’s style emerge from their teams is really empowering.
February 2025
Ava Dancing
Here I am getting a new pair of pointe shoes at my new dance studio this year. For anyone who is a serious ballet dancer, getting a new pair of pointe shoes is a big milestone since dancing on pointe is the most advanced level of dance you can achieve as a ballet dancer. The studio where I dance turned this milestone into an entire day of fun & laughter!
Here I am with my best friends in 1st grade, & we did a ballet performance to ‘Count on Me’ by Bruno Mars. We wore these beautiful sunset-inspired costumes, & this was a special memory for me because my dance studio had us performing with the older girls who were in high school. While we certainly were not as advanced as the older girls, it served as a source of inspiration & motivation for us to become better dancers & express ourselves through dance & the performing arts. I have found that my years of dance have been pivotal in growing my self confidence & public speaking skills. When I’m in group settings, I don’t hesitate to collaborate & speak my mind, which are valuable skills I am going to take with me into the business world, where I know I can inspire other women to be leaders, too!
Here I am doing tap-dancing in June 2013. This is one of the first recitals I can remember: it was my best friend & me, & we wore these neon pink polka-dot outfits as we danced to “Shake, Rattle, & Roll.” We were partners doing the hand jive together, & it’s such a sweet memory for us!
In this recital, I performed a ballet piece, & I remember all my friends were in my class. We would practice our dance at recess at school, & all the teachers would watch us. When we were about to do the recital, we all agreed, “We got this! We’ve been doing this forever!” I think that since we spent so much time together, it was truly a combined effort, & all our hard work paid off. It was all of us together that made it happen!
This was the first year I was in a higher level of dance than all my friends, so I had to make all new friends. Making new friends is challenging, but it was worth it to build more community & learn new skills. Friends are one thing, but dance friends always seem a bit closer; we spend a lot of time together, so we form very strong bonds!