Sophie
"Relocating from New Zealand to London and being a small fish in a very big pond was a pretty daunting prospect, and imposter syndrome definitely kicked in. Getting back to class after a long pause was the hardest thing but also the best thing. Dance allows me to disconnect from anything beyond the space I am in and gives all my focus to one singular thing. It’s a break from a constant inner monologue in an overstimulating world and recharges me. It feels like a moment of peace, especially while living in such a fast-paced city. Sharing space and energy while dancing with people is such a special and powerful experience—it fills my cup like nothing else." - Sophie, Jun 2024
Dance was a form of escapism for me when I first started and definitely still is now. I was taken to dance classes as I was quite a shy child when outside of my home environment, so dance really helped me open up. Secondly, I love music! And dance, in its purest form, is responding to music with your body, which was and still is so freeing! Dancing has improved my mindset: it can calm me, excite me, inspire me, push me, bring me closer to my true uninhibited self, and allow me to connect to others.
I think it’s the unseen additions that attach themselves to dance that, over time, can take a toll on your mental health: aesthetics, politics, constraints, self-sabotage, expectations, and criticism from yourself as well as others. And over time, you become more aware of when these things are trying to impact you and how you can guard yourself against them. Which, ironically, is the very thing that, in part, started it: dance.
In an industry that can give you so very much, it can equally take—so you have to make sure the foundation of your mental health stays strong. I guess tapping into why and where you started is a good way to ground yourself and recharge your mental health. And just put on some music and dance with the freedom you did back when you were a kid—I think that’s the best place to start."