With every note from the trumpet, my body followed suit effortlessly. I heeded my body as it gracefully stepped on stage right and pulled my body’s torque while I completed multiple turns. As I perfected my pointed feet, I stood still. Under the hot lights, my body felt tepid as my arms and head reached for the sky. I thought about the lyrics to “Home” as the music was drowned out by the sound of cheers. I had choreographed my movements to Diana Ross, as I thought about my own Blackness. I contemplated the inherited “criminal” Stereotypes of being 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 the 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. I took every concern and worry to begin journaling- translating them into movement. Choreographing my movements to Diana Ross, I grappled with my Black identity in the US, seeking solace from police brutality: a big societal problem. My translations became choreography, and I committed myself to executing the dance moves. Each gesture echoed the pain of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd's deaths, evoking a haunting fear of becoming the next victim. During my choreographic process, I remembered a few months ago- my father's advice during a tense traffic stop in South Carolina: "Record everything, Kyara." But our fight against injustice extends beyond protests and riots. Seeking solace in art, especially in dance's transformative power, I teach my black community: that we rise above our challenges. Dance becomes a tool of resilience, a defiant expression against oppression, healing the wounds of collective trauma. Through dance, we will affirm the sanctity of Black bodies and rise, united in our quest for justice, determined to carve out a future where every step is imbued with the joy of liberation. As a Black artist, I aim to become a dance professor or teacher at performing arts schools, guiding people of color to experience similar catharsis I did. I will fulfill the duty to inspire youth-adults to merge their passion for activism and dance, evoking both coping reflection and advocating art. Moreover, I aspire to add empowerment of people of color artists by deepening their appreciation of being Black, through learning versatile black thematic dances, unity, and a deeper analysis of black cultural dances or classical dance. Especially since we can be drowned by online media that reflect such hate against our simple existence of being black. My passion and profession of dance with the task of preparing fearless leaders of art, 100%, is my vision of how I change the world. As a Black woman, I aim to affirm others in a space that fosters both creativity and advocacy, turning dancer by dancer their stationary potential into reality.

Dancing Through My Blackness With every note from the trumpet, my body followed suit effortlessly. I heeded its graceful steps as it moved stage right, pulling my body’s torque while I completed multiple turns. Perfecting my pointed feet, I stood in a moment of stillness, bathed in the hot lights. My arms and head reached for the sky, and the lyrics to “Home” echoed in my mind, drowned out by the sound of cheers. Choreographing my movements to the spirit of Diana Ross, I reflected on my own Blackness. What did it mean to be Black in the United States? How could I find a haven from the relentless storm of police brutality? Each emphasized expansion and contraction of my body became a response to the pain of Breonna Taylor’s and George Floyd’s deaths. The fear that I might be next clung to me, and the movements to “say her name” left me mentally exhausted. I took my concerns and worries, translating them into dance. My journal entries transformed into choreography, and I committed myself to executing those moves. With every step, my heart stung—the pain of watching my community suffer at the hands of officials weighed heavily. Dance became my refuge, easing the mental burden of my Black pain and giving me a voice of advocacy. My love for dance began in elementary school. I grew up watching shows like “Shake It Up,” mimicking Zendaya’s moves and grooving to the beat of “Swagger.” As I matured, life’s circumstances deepened my commitment to the arts. Whether it was processing the grief of police brutality victims or coping with the recent loss of my grandfather, choreography remained my solace. Now, as a Black artist, I envision spaces where my artistry intersects with advocacy for Black communities. Definitely a collegiate dance program will be that canvas—a place where my movements can continue to tell stories, heal wounds, and amplify voices. A program such as Howard’s dance program that I have recently been admitted to. Here, I will eagerly learn about versatile black thematic dances, unity, collaboration, and a deeper analysis of black cultural dances, tribal dances. Howard's Dance curriculum and Dance Ensemble in all genres would not only support my growth but deepen my appreciation of the performance of choreography. As an aspiring professional dancer, Howard’s dance program is key in my development and preparation as I work to train in either classical or commercial-based dance companies. Furthermore, the Rylie Scholarship with the task of preparing fearless leaders of art, 100% aligns with my goal of being a Professional dancer. I believe in Howard’s faculty turning my stationary potential into reality and this scholarship will help me be able to attend and engulf all of my teachings.

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.