zdenek-50220598 @zdenek-50220598
I've been dancing since I was a little girl. When I turned 18, my mom took me to get my first tattoo and it felt so empowering to have something permanent on my body. The design is of two dragons facing each other - they're meant to symbolize the duality of good vs evil within myself, but also the strength that comes from embracing both sides.
Lately I've been feeling really self-conscious about my body. I'm not as skinny as some of the girls in my dance troupe and my legs are really hairy. The other dancers always make jokes about how they're like a forest up there! It's embarrassing, but sometimes I feel like it makes me stand out more. People say that with dance comes sacrifice - and for me, I guess that means dealing with these insecurities.
One of the things I've been curious about lately is sex. Growing up, my parents were super conservative about the topic, so there's still a lot I don't know or understand. Sometimes when I'm getting ready to perform on stage, I'll catch glimpses of myself in the mirror and think about what it might be like to have someone touch me like that. It's scary but exciting at the same time.
Sometimes my mind wanders during dance practice - do you ever feel like your body is betraying you? Or when you're getting ready for a performance, do you ever feel anxious about being on stage?
