Dance wasn't a big part of my life growing up.  I was a pretty shy kid and the spotlight was scary to me, so I did the quieter things I thought I was supposed to do. 

I worked hard to get a law degree, start a family, and make a living.  But sometimes when I wanted to relax after a stressful day, I'd find myself watching hip hop dance videos on YouTube.  I’d watch one, then the next video would load and I'd watch that one, and then the next one--until suddenly it'd be 2am.  

There was something about dance, especially hip hop, that was mesmerizing to me.  It was so powerful, so expressive, so energizing.  It was totally unlike anything that I’d done before.  

After spending my twenties and early thirties doing all the "right" things, I still ended up completely burned out in the summer of 2022.  It was disorienting to feel like after all of the striving I did for my career, I still didn't know who I was supposed to be.  

So I left my high-stress job, and I had exactly one week off before I started my next one. 

I didn't even know what I was supposed to do with all that free time.  But I decided whatever it was, it was going to be for me.  For fun.  Not to accomplish anything, or check anything off a list. 

That's when I found Culture Shock. 

I was so nervous for my first Cardio Hip Hop class, but it seemed like the best place to start.  I spent most of that hour in class looking awkward and feeling foolish, but no one seemed to care.  At some point, I stopped caring too.  And I realized for the first time in a long time that I didn't have to perform for anyone but me. 

That week I went to every beginner dance class I could.  Since then, I've been hooked. 

I never imagined that in my late thirties, I'd start a journey with dance that would lead me to be part of a team like Afta Shock.  Not only do I get to dance, but I get to be part of a beautiful, supportive, truly diverse community.  Sometimes I can't believe it's real.  But now I can't imagine my life without it.  

For me, dance is a place where it doesn't matter what my credentials are, how I got there, or what kind of day I was having before I stepped into the studio.  It's humbling and liberating.

The best part is that now I get to share that gift--and the stage--with my daughters, who are also part of the Culture Shock family.

Culture Shock will always have a special place in my heart.  I thank God for using the studio to show me that there are other ways to live, that you can do things just to do them, and that it's never too late for joy.

"This is the day the Lord has made;
 let us rejoice and be glad in it." - Psalm 118:24