With great enthusiasm, I submit an application for the Gayle McKinney-Griffith Memorial Scholarship. My fifteen years of ballet training have given me a sense of inspiration, self-confidence, and hope in a world that too often seems hopeless. As a Black and Japanese woman, I struggle to redefine the terms of expression and knowledge production within the world of ballet that has historically been rooted in Eurocentric notions of intellect, culture, and standards of acceptable bodies. Out of this adversity emerged my passion to explore interdisciplinary approaches of learning and creative movement practices that I will continue to develop at The Juilliard School starting in Fall 2025. I aspire to open doors for others who dare to dream through movement and dance and will continue to transform the dance world by fostering creative spaces for artists of color while developing my dance and choreographic practice. While learning the discipline of ballet can be challenging and painfully frustrating, overcoming these challenges provides a profound sense of achievement and is a humbling reminder of the fragility as well as the resilience of the body.
I began dancing at the age of three at the Gustafson Dance Center. I continued to study ballet at the Los Angeles Ballet School, Houston Ballet Academy, and the ABT Gillespie School, where I am now a fifth-year student in the Upper Level. However, throughout my academic and artistic careers, I found it challenging to navigate these various environments that continue to be hostile to women of color. My thighs are often “too muscular” in fifth position, while my biceps are toned and developed in fifth en haut. It has been a challenge to find the fragility and delicacy that a “true ballerina” should have. In school, my desire to study and explore issues revolving around gender and race has continuously been hindered by the lack of courses in social sciences and humanities in institutions that often solely merit STEM-based talent.
My involvement in support groups such as the 100 Black Women of Orange County have given me the tools to build networks of confidence and resilience for myself and the women around me. As I enter the next stage of my artistic and academic career at The Juilliard School, I intend to continue my practice of building bridges of confidence and resilience within and across diverse communities.
In the future, I would like to share and teach what I have learned. My interest in dance pedagogy and instruction began when I completed the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum Course for levels Pre-Primary through Level 3. During this intensive 10-day training, I was also exposed to the study of developmental psychology and its relationship to dance and identity. At The Juilliard School, I will be able to further my understanding of the intersections between dance, psychology, and identity. I hope to have a successful career in a professional dance company where I can contribute to the growing field of American dance, while choreographing new works and sharing my passion for dance with students as a guest instructor. I will share what I learn at The Juilliard School by teaching, innovating, and ultimately serving as a dance arts advocate so that future generations can learn, share, and find the joy in the freedom of movement.
I would be honored to be a recipient of the Gayle McKinney-Griffith Scholarship. This award would help me significantly in paying for my Juilliard tuition and living expenses. Thank you for your time and consideration.
With each note from the trumpet, my body effortlessly followed suit, gracefully stepping stage right and executing multiple turns. As I perfected my pointed feet, I stood still under the hot lights, feeling the warmth as my arms and head reached toward the sky. Thoughts of the lyrics to “Home” were drowned out by the cheers of the audience.
I had choreographed my movements to the likes of Diana Ross, as I thought about my own Blackness. I thought about what it meant for me to be Black in the United States and my desire to find a haven from police brutality. With each emphasized expansion and contraction of my body, I found myself responding to my pain of Breonna Taylor’s or George Floyd’s deaths. It was hard to rid myself of the feelings that I might be next. With the movements to “say her name”, the mental exhaustion was too much to bear.
Turning my concerns and worries into dance movements, I created choreography that expressed my pain and frustration. With each step, I felt the sting in my heart as I watched my community endure violence at the hands of authorities.
As a Black artist, I aspire to use my artistry to advocate for Black communities. Joining a collegiate Dance program or future dance companies, I hope to further my art of advocacy. While facing challenges such as how to best convey my message and which issues to address, the process of brainstorming content helps me find solutions.
For a Black artist like myself, dance offers the opportunity to explore versatile Black thematic dances, unity, collaboration, and a deeper understanding of Black cultural and tribal dances. Enrolling in a dance program like Howard’s would not only support my artistic growth but also deepen my appreciation for choreography. Cheogrsohy created in my “African Dance l-lll” and “African and Seminar” classes that develop my West African and Afro-Caribbean training with access to professors such as Ofosuwa Abiola and Royce Zackery. Overall, my aspirations to join classical or commercial-based dance companies, Howard’s dance program is essential for my development and preparation.
The Gayle scholarship brings me closer to achieving my goal of joining Howard’s dance program and becoming a professional dancer. I believe that Howard’s faculty can help me unlock my full potential and prepare me for success in future dance companies. As a Black woman, it is important for me to be affirmed in a space that fosters both my creativity and my passion for advocacy.
