Triple Ready

"You can't be fat and fast, too; so lift, run, diet and work"

dancing on my birthday

I admit, turning a year older isn’t quite as appealing as it used to be… but when I reached my 30’s, I made it a point to celebrate life as much as I could, while physically possible. This year, I wanted to spend my birthday doing the thing I loved the most, so when I was asked to teach a dance workshop to orphaned kids, I didn’t hesitate.

My students were composed of 22 kids from  Shepherd of the Hills (SOTH)  Foundation, as well as 8 volunteers and sponsors of U! Happy Events, the organizer of the workshop. SOTH has been helping and rescuing kids who have lived in the streets, and have been abandoned, abused, or orphaned, or have been exposed to extreme poverty. SOTH provides developmental programs and activities to help these kids experience love and care in a safe and healthy environment.

We started with a quick icebreaker, getting to know the kids involved, and getting them ready to dance. I then led a quick warm-up, which involved some basic stretching and limbering up. I then proceeded to teach them a short and simple hip-hop dance combination to the song “Uptown Funk” as requested by the kids. I thought they would be shy, but boy, were they ready to strut their stuff! After mastering the dance combination, they were divided into groups, and we had a mini-showdown – with each group working up a sweat and giving their best on the dance floor. The event ended with group photos, gift-giving, and a lot of hugs from the kids!

I’m a strong advocate of dance as an art form that is not just for fitness or self-expression, but it is a medium that can administer change. My thesis in college was creating a dance workshop for underprivileged kids that developed creativity and self-confidence, and I had participated in many outreach programs involving dance. Dancing in a group helps build camaraderie, and at the same time, it helps individuals develop discipline and self-efficacy. Yes, dance in itself and the movements involved can bring any person to an optimum level of fitness, but it can also bring much more than just physical benefits.

Each time I participate in workshops such as these, I am always amazed at how dancing can instantly make people happy, even with those who have no experience whatsoever. It takes a lot of courage to go outside of one’s comfort zone and start moving and then eventually performing. I am truly grateful that I am able to share my talent and passion for dance. For me to see those kids laughing, joking about, and dancing, even if just for an afternoon, was indeed, a perfect birthday gift.