{"componentChunkName":"component---src-templates-story-js","path":"/story/home-in-the-spotlight-a/","result":{"pageContext":{"data":{"id":"-18ca4a6c-11fa-5c74-ba49-5de874bc085a","authorFirstName":"Amia","storyTitle":"Home in the Spotlight","photo":{"asset":{"url":"https://cdn.sanity.io/images/nr9digz2/production/b7dd2826c5a342cb04fe7b66d7a48d06bf23b9a2-1500x1000.jpg"}},"audio":{"asset":{"url":"https://cdn.sanity.io/files/nr9digz2/production/73d6b79efea407160a4fb0897b053a39bbfdd0df.mp3"}},"secondLanguageAudio":{"language":"English","audio":null},"school":{"name":"Appomattox Regional Governor's School for the Arts and Technology","city":"Petersburg","location":"Virginia"},"tags":["Arts and Expression","Community","Education","Loneliness, Doubt or Loss","Sports"],"_rawText":[{"_key":"39aa9406b17f","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"6455b667aea90","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"I’ve always been the kind of person who notices everything but doesn’t say much. My friends say I'm quiet, and they’re right. I’m not the type to raise my hand first or talk to someone new. Being shy has always felt like a burden. Yet, I always find myself back to the one place where those burdens come down. When I dance, those burdens disappear. Dance has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I don’t remember a time I wasn’t associated with dance in some type of way. Whenever I lose a bit of confidence in my dancing, my mom reminds me that when I was very little, I used to dance in front of the TV, wishing I was the one on the screen. But back then it wasn’t about performing; it was just about being free and having fun. As I got older, dance seemed to just become an extracurricular activity I'd do when I was bored. I lost passion for dancing, or at least I thought."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"a6f70bf80c92","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"c0743cdd86760","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"When I came to high school from being homeschooled, I wasn’t expecting to be put under so much pressure. The schoolwork frustrated me and made me feel like I was bound to fail. But even when it got worse, being away from my computer, getting to take a deep breath and dance in the studio took away all my worries. It brought me back to that place with no burdens; it brought me back home. To a home still filled with passion deep down inside."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"96e7b2067fd6","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"cf63104d255d0","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"For me, everything changed when I got accepted into the Italian dance program. When I saw the email, I thought it was a mistake. How could the sponsor choose me to go to Italy for dance? I felt proud at first, but then I got scared. What if I weren't good enough? What if everyone were way better than me? Italy was exciting and scary at the same time, as I would be traveling and dancing on the other side of the globe. Also, I didn’t speak much Italian, so I was thankful there were many people who spoke English. On the very first day of class, my anxiety was all over the place. The room was full of college girls, while only my four school classmates and I were high school students. Everyone was so serious and confident, like they belonged there. Everyone but me. Then the classes started, and everything changed. For the first time in a while, I forgot how to be scared. Even though everyone seemed so serious in the face, we all had fun. Everyone let loose and just danced."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"684998cebcb8","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"a1d84073073c0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"\n"},{"_key":"a1d84073073c1","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Studying dance in a different country was very surreal. We danced to various different styles like ballet, hip-hop, and funk jazz. Specifically, funk jazz is what brought my confidence back. I felt comfortable, like the style of dance was everything. The music was fast and upbeat. You have to dance confidently. By the end of the program, I wasn’t hiding in the back anymore. I was dancing up front and center, not because I thought I was the best, but because I finally believed I belonged there. That experience changed me, even though I still get nervous before I perform. But I remind myself that fear doesn’t get to take control of me. Dance is more than just a hobby to me, it’s a part of who I am. It helps me express myself and gives me courage. It shows me that even shy people can shine in their own way. The stage is where I found my confidence, and every time I step onto it, I feel stronger, braver, and more like myself."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"}]}}},"staticQueryHashes":["3309388390","890781507"]}