Moriah Janae Dance Grant

My name is Brityn Shaw, I am 15 years old and I have been dancing for practically my whole life. My mom was a dancer throughout her school years, and has continued dancing by being an instructor for my church. When I was younger I would join my mother's dance classes, and I have continued to follow in her footsteps since then. I have been dancing for our church since I was very young and have even choreographed a few pieces for a camp that uses our church in the summer. I started dancing competitively when I was 9 years old for Essense Dance Company, and I am proudly still dancing with them today. As you can see, I have had a connection with dance throughout my ongoing adolescence. Whether I connected with dance through my mother, or through my activeness in church it has truly made an impact on my life. Dancing has sculpted me into the creative, fearless, unbeatable woman you see standing before you today. Completing every movement full out, and feeling the vibrations from my toes to my fingertips helps me connect with my body in an even deeper way than I could have ever before. Sometimes it can feel like a total out of body experience, when you truly just let yourself go and move with the rhythms of your heartbeat even when there is no music physically playing. Dance can sometimes require someone to make a couple of sacrifices, but so does any amount of dedication for any other sport. Some may regret the amount of energy they put into a sport they did when they were younger, but I would not take it away for the world. However, there have been times where I have questioned myself about continuing my dance career because of the amount of work and devotion the craft requires from me. Dancing has given me far too much to just throw all of it away because of an occasional feeling of tiredness. A life without the freedom of movement and the emotion I can convey through my body is a life I do not wish to undergo. As I grow older I have started to think more and more about my future career especially one my dance skills can shine in. A career choice I have considered and am leaning toward is acting, specifically in movies and shows. Ever since I was younger I have always enjoyed singing and dancing, but I never knew how to make them both into a career I would be successful in. It was not until 4th grade that I developed a promising talent for speaking, and I then realized I could finally combine all my talents into a career I saw fitting. I made myself into a triple threat for the acting industry, and have been making leaps and bounds in my dancing, singing, and acting ever since.