hi guys okay so I want to start off with the fact that I am an artist I’ve been
the fact that I am an artist I’ve been
the fact that I am an artist I’ve been one my entire life I started dancing
one my entire life I started dancing
one my entire life I started dancing when I was three years old
when I was three years old
when I was three years old I’ve been training classically in piano
I’ve been training classically in piano
I’ve been training classically in piano for about nine years and I’ve been in
for about nine years and I’ve been in
for about nine years and I’ve been in choir for four years and Counting
choir for four years and Counting
choir for four years and Counting my life has almost completely revolved
my life has almost completely revolved
my life has almost completely revolved around the performing arts since before
around the performing arts since before
around the performing arts since before I can remember now when you ask most
I can remember now when you ask most
I can remember now when you ask most people they’ll say that the arts are
people they’ll say that the arts are
people they’ll say that the arts are entertaining maybe a fun way to feel
entertaining maybe a fun way to feel
entertaining maybe a fun way to feel time and as such the performing arts are
time and as such the performing arts are
time and as such the performing arts are viewed as more of a hobby rather than as
viewed as more of a hobby rather than as
viewed as more of a hobby rather than as something that can be a productive
something that can be a productive
something that can be a productive activity what most people don’t know is
activity what most people don’t know is
activity what most people don’t know is that there is a completely different
that there is a completely different
that there is a completely different angle on the Arts the benefits that they
angle on the Arts the benefits that they
angle on the Arts the benefits that they bring to the education and development
bring to the education and development
bring to the education and development to the minds and bodies of children in
to the minds and bodies of children in
to the minds and bodies of children in writing about education for The
writing about education for The
writing about education for The Washington Post
Washington Post
Washington Post Valerie Strauss is quoted as saying the
Valerie Strauss is quoted as saying the
Valerie Strauss is quoted as saying the arts promote skills seen as important in
arts promote skills seen as important in
arts promote skills seen as important in academic and life success now this
academic and life success now this
academic and life success now this article was taken directly from a blog
article was taken directly from a blog
article was taken directly from a blog post written by Lisa Phillips in arts
post written by Lisa Phillips in arts
post written by Lisa Phillips in arts and leadership educator that states that
and leadership educator that states that
and leadership educator that states that qualities such as creativity confidence
qualities such as creativity confidence
qualities such as creativity confidence perseverance focus and more are learned
perseverance focus and more are learned
perseverance focus and more are learned in young people that study the arts so
in young people that study the arts so
in young people that study the arts so for example thinking on your fees
for example thinking on your fees
for example thinking on your fees hanging outside of the box
hanging outside of the box
hanging outside of the box public speaking these and many more are
public speaking these and many more are
public speaking these and many more are learned and reinforced by partaking
learned and reinforced by partaking
learned and reinforced by partaking extensively in the arts now those of you
extensively in the arts now those of you
extensively in the arts now those of you that don’t know me that well may be
that don’t know me that well may be
that don’t know me that well may be surprised to hear that I engage in a
surprised to hear that I engage in a
surprised to hear that I engage in a constant battle with stage right behind
constant battle with stage right behind
constant battle with stage right behind the scenes before I step out in front of
the scenes before I step out in front of
the scenes before I step out in front of my audience I get no
my audience I get no
my audience I get no and I start shaking and my mind begins
and I start shaking and my mind begins
and I start shaking and my mind begins to run through what seems like every
to run through what seems like every
to run through what seems like every possible thing that could go wrong and
possible thing that could go wrong and
possible thing that could go wrong and I’m sure that I’m not the only one here
I’m sure that I’m not the only one here
I’m sure that I’m not the only one here who’s ever felt that way before actually
who’s ever felt that way before actually
who’s ever felt that way before actually just recently I competed in a national
just recently I competed in a national
just recently I competed in a national ballroom dance war competition in
ballroom dance war competition in
ballroom dance war competition in Orlando uh I was an absolute wreck we
Orlando uh I was an absolute wreck we
Orlando uh I was an absolute wreck we had taken a red-eye flight the night
had taken a red-eye flight the night
had taken a red-eye flight the night before and I don’t know about you guys
before and I don’t know about you guys
before and I don’t know about you guys but I can never sleep on planes and with
but I can never sleep on planes and with
but I can never sleep on planes and with the time difference my body thought that
the time difference my body thought that
the time difference my body thought that I was dancing at five o’clock in the
I was dancing at five o’clock in the
I was dancing at five o’clock in the morning so my nerves were frayed and I
morning so my nerves were frayed and I
morning so my nerves were frayed and I was literally on the brink of a
was literally on the brink of a
was literally on the brink of a full-scale panic attack I had never
full-scale panic attack I had never
full-scale panic attack I had never competed in anything on this scale
competed in anything on this scale
competed in anything on this scale before there was this panel of
before there was this panel of
before there was this panel of stone-faced judges scribbling on those
stone-faced judges scribbling on those
stone-faced judges scribbling on those terrifying clipboards there was music
terrifying clipboards there was music
terrifying clipboards there was music thumping in my eardrums there were these
thumping in my eardrums there were these
thumping in my eardrums there were these neon rhinestone clad figures whirling
neon rhinestone clad figures whirling
neon rhinestone clad figures whirling past me in a blur it was overwhelming to
past me in a blur it was overwhelming to
past me in a blur it was overwhelming to say the least but seconds before I had
say the least but seconds before I had
say the least but seconds before I had to go on my mother pulled me aside she
to go on my mother pulled me aside she
to go on my mother pulled me aside she looked me straight in the eye and said
looked me straight in the eye and said
looked me straight in the eye and said alright it’s time to shake it off
alright it’s time to shake it off
alright it’s time to shake it off and then something incredible happened
and then something incredible happened
and then something incredible happened from all of those years all of that time
from all of those years all of that time
from all of those years all of that time that I that I’d spent training all of
that I that I’d spent training all of
that I that I’d spent training all of those performances that I’d done my body
those performances that I’d done my body
those performances that I’d done my body knew what to do almost instinctively I
knew what to do almost instinctively I
knew what to do almost instinctively I threw my shoulders back I thrust my chin
threw my shoulders back I thrust my chin
threw my shoulders back I thrust my chin up and I plastered the hugest cheesiest
up and I plastered the hugest cheesiest
up and I plastered the hugest cheesiest smile on my face I felt absolutely
smile on my face I felt absolutely
smile on my face I felt absolutely ridiculous and my heart was still
ridiculous and my heart was still
ridiculous and my heart was still pounding and I could barely take a
pounding and I could barely take a
pounding and I could barely take a breath but this transformation ended up
breath but this transformation ended up
breath but this transformation ended up helping me put forth my best possible
helping me put forth my best possible
helping me put forth my best possible performance and take fourth place in the
performance and take fourth place in the
performance and take fourth place in the nation it was all that practice in front
nation it was all that practice in front
nation it was all that practice in front of an audience that led me to six
of an audience that led me to six
of an audience that led me to six all of my experiences had built on each
all of my experiences had built on each
all of my experiences had built on each other each teaching me something new
other each teaching me something new
other each teaching me something new about performing for people until I was
about performing for people until I was
about performing for people until I was able to express myself to the best of my
able to express myself to the best of my
able to express myself to the best of my ability with just a simple phrase from
ability with just a simple phrase from
ability with just a simple phrase from my mother
my mother
my mother and one day I know that I’ll be able to
and one day I know that I’ll be able to
and one day I know that I’ll be able to do my best without even that furthermore
do my best without even that furthermore
do my best without even that furthermore there’s something to be said about the
there’s something to be said about the
there’s something to be said about the perseverance of performances of
perseverance of performances of
perseverance of performances of performances the national dance
performances the national dance
performances the national dance education organization stated that
education organization stated that
education organization stated that students who participated in dance
students who participated in dance
students who participated in dance displayed more persistence higher GPAs
displayed more persistence higher GPAs
displayed more persistence higher GPAs were found in dancers as compared to non
were found in dancers as compared to non
were found in dancers as compared to non dancers and students who participated in
dancers and students who participated in
dancers and students who participated in dance displayed more persistence and had
dance displayed more persistence and had
dance displayed more persistence and had higher grades than those involved in non
higher grades than those involved in non
higher grades than those involved in non dance activities now we all have limited
dance activities now we all have limited
dance activities now we all have limited amounts of energy and time so I know
amounts of energy and time so I know
amounts of energy and time so I know that I have to work whenever I can and I
that I have to work whenever I can and I
that I have to work whenever I can and I literally mean whenever I can I often
literally mean whenever I can I often
literally mean whenever I can I often stay up to these ungodly hours of the
stay up to these ungodly hours of the
stay up to these ungodly hours of the night studying or finishing the copious
night studying or finishing the copious
night studying or finishing the copious amounts of homework that we receive no
amounts of homework that we receive no
amounts of homework that we receive no offense to any teachers within hearing
offense to any teachers within hearing
offense to any teachers within hearing distance but I know from the replies
distance but I know from the replies
distance but I know from the replies from the quick replies to midnight text
from the quick replies to midnight text
from the quick replies to midnight text that I’m not the only student at this
that I’m not the only student at this
that I’m not the only student at this school who knows what that feels like
school who knows what that feels like
school who knows what that feels like but not only have the arts provided an
but not only have the arts provided an
but not only have the arts provided an outlet for my frustration and my stress
outlet for my frustration and my stress
outlet for my frustration and my stress they’ve also helped me not to give up
they’ve also helped me not to give up
they’ve also helped me not to give up after the first try and what’s more in a
after the first try and what’s more in a
after the first try and what’s more in a national study using over 25 thousand
national study using over 25 thousand
national study using over 25 thousand middle and high school students
middle and high school students
middle and high school students researchers from UCLA found students
researchers from UCLA found students
researchers from UCLA found students with a high level of arts involvement
with a high level of arts involvement
with a high level of arts involvement perform better on their SATs than
perform better on their SATs than
perform better on their SATs than students with a low level of arts
students with a low level of arts
students with a low level of arts involvement as an evidence report by the
involvement as an evidence report by the
involvement as an evidence report by the College Board also states that dance
College Board also states that dance
College Board also states that dance music and the visual arts have a
music and the visual arts have a
music and the visual arts have a significant effect on the level of
significant effect on the level of
significant effect on the level of critical thinking displayed by high
critical thinking displayed by high
critical thinking displayed by high school and college students so taking
school and college students so taking
school and college students so taking those pre-school ballet classes or
those pre-school ballet classes or
those pre-school ballet classes or joining the middle school band might
joining the middle school band might
joining the middle school band might actually give you a leg up when it comes
actually give you a leg up when it comes
actually give you a leg up when it comes to school the performing arts don’t just
to school the performing arts don’t just
to school the performing arts don’t just affect children academically however
affect children academically however
affect children academically however they’re also proven to assist in
they’re also proven to assist in
they’re also proven to assist in physical and cognitive development the
physical and cognitive development the
physical and cognitive development the college board states that dance focuses
college board states that dance focuses
college board states that dance focuses on developing gross motor skills
on developing gross motor skills
on developing gross motor skills including balance and coordination and
including balance and coordination and
including balance and coordination and then making art a hands-on activity
then making art a hands-on activity
then making art a hands-on activity helps children with the learning process
helps children with the learning process
helps children with the learning process especially since at a young age children
especially since at a young age children
especially since at a young age children are whole-body learners so now it’s
are whole-body learners so now it’s
are whole-body learners so now it’s looking more and more like the arts
looking more and more like the arts
looking more and more like the arts might just be as important as the other
might just be as important as the other
might just be as important as the other core academic subjects as called in the
core academic subjects as called in the
core academic subjects as called in the federal No Child Left Behind Act this
federal No Child Left Behind Act this
federal No Child Left Behind Act this acts has the arts sharing equal billing
acts has the arts sharing equal billing
acts has the arts sharing equal billing with subjects such as math reading and
with subjects such as math reading and
with subjects such as math reading and science putting them on the same playing
science putting them on the same playing
science putting them on the same playing field do you guys understand how utterly
field do you guys understand how utterly
field do you guys understand how utterly mind-blowing that is this shows the
mind-blowing that is this shows the
mind-blowing that is this shows the beginnings of a revolution to all those
beginnings of a revolution to all those
beginnings of a revolution to all those who turn their nose up at artists not
who turn their nose up at artists not
who turn their nose up at artists not only do the arts provide an outlet for
only do the arts provide an outlet for
only do the arts provide an outlet for the passion of young people but they
the passion of young people but they
the passion of young people but they teach skills that aren’t typically or
teach skills that aren’t typically or
teach skills that aren’t typically or easily taught in schools we are the new
easily taught in schools we are the new
easily taught in schools we are the new generation we are the inheritors of the
generation we are the inheritors of the
generation we are the inheritors of the world and that makes us responsible for
world and that makes us responsible for
world and that makes us responsible for making a difference so let’s remix the
making a difference so let’s remix the
making a difference so let’s remix the education system to include a little
education system to include a little
education system to include a little more dancing and more music a little
more dancing and more music a little
more dancing and more music a little more acting and leave no child behind
more acting and leave no child behind
more acting and leave no child behind thank you
”
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