By Chloe Dean
For some, dance is a hobby. For Taylor McArthur, dance is a part of who she is.
“I feel like (dance) has made me more confident in myself and my body,” she said.
Taylor has pushed herself to become the passionate and creative person she is today. As a student at Moore High School, Taylor has been involved with Key Club, Moore Love and Leadership, but she says it was dance that sculpted her character the most.
The art of dance began as a celebration of life, a tradition to show appreciation of ancient goddesses, and an ancient ritual over 6,000 years ago, according to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Today, dance is a widespread competitive activity that is judged on creativity and technique. Yet, one thing remains the same: Dance is an activity using the ability to portray emotions and to tell a story without the use of words.
Taylor’s formal dancing career started at age 4, but she has always been dancing.
“My mom says I’ve been dancing since I was born,” Taylor said.
As a baby, she loved to dance, move and already had rhythm, setting her up for a promising future as a performer.
Taylor calls her first dance class “love at first sight.” Recently, Taylor was a member of her high school’s competitive pom squad where she danced at sports games and also competed against other squads. Outside of pom, Taylor is a dancer for Applause, a dance studio in her hometown. Her love for dance, especially tap and hip hop, is a driving force for Taylor’s goal of being a Broadway dancer.
Taylor credits her ability to be a creative and confident leader to dance and wants to continue her dance career in college, whether that be in pom or pursuing a dance major. While dance has certainly made Taylor a competitor on the floor, it has also brought her many friendships, soft skills and a deeper appreciation for art and music, enhancing her life as a leader.
When Taylor exits the stage, dance still follows her. Taylor’s love for the art has impacted her life in many aspects. As a student, she has had many opportunities to assist her community, working with programs including: Key Club to keep her high school clean, Moore Love to fundraise for multiple organizations and her leadership class to connect with other students. Taylor enjoys volunteering with her school’s special needs program.
Taylor has returned to the special needs class room twice a week since she was a freshman. Every year, Taylor partners with a student named Lilly.
Lilly and Taylor share a love for dance and music, especially when singing “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles. Bonding with Lilly has been one of Taylor’s favorite activities in leadership. Taylor believes that Lilly’s colorful nails and happy personality caused her to gravitate towards Lilly, but their love for music created a unique bond.
Dance has allowed Taylor to express herself artistically, and it has become an integral part of her identity. While she masters many dancing skills and techniques, she is also learning how to tell a story with her movements, giving her the ability to utilize creativity and build confidence in herself. These skills ultimately pushed her to excel not only in dance, but in life.
