Hello I am 18 years of age and I am apart of Thrive Youth Company. I have proudly been apart of Thrive for 3 and a half years and it has been an amazing experience and an incredible journey.
I began Thrive 3 and a half years ago as part of their second academy. I started taking part as a referral from my secondary school. When I initially started Thrive, I was very reluctant and unsure because I was never interested in dance, there was a lot of new people and it was a completely new and different environment.
After the second academy was completed and we had performed I was then asked by Cherie and Grace if I would like to continue my dance journey and come and take part in weekly classes on a Tuesday. Obviously, I agreed even though there was still some hesitation at first.
As I continued my Thrive journey and began dancing on a weekly basis, I became more confident and realised that I loved dance, and that I was so glad that I chose to continue doing what I grew to love. As my dancing journey has progressed, I have been involved in several different opportunities. Including our easter intensive, the winter platform and thriving forwards: new directions.
During our easter intensive we created a piece of choreography based on feelings and thoughts through lockdown, which we then moved on to call it lost through lockdown. Through this week and process, we manage to complete our piece and there was a lot of different elements involved. It was not an easy journey there were challenges but there was also a lot of highs and amazing times throughout that particular week. Some of the good times included being able to be more creative and put a lot of our own ideas into the choreography and just being able to be around everyone else in the group. Being able to create a piece of choreography that we were all proud of.
For the winter platform, being part of thrive is proven to be an amazing experience. We have created a piece of choreography that is incredible and has got some very dramatic contrast because of the mixture of power and elegance. This journey has been incredible and creating this dance has not been easy, but I have persevered and carried on even when it has been difficult. Which is a massive improvement from when I started Thrive. When I started Thrive, I would have just given up whereas I have now come so far, I know that even if I’m finding something difficult that I will continue. Which is part of what has made my whole Thrive journey an incredible experience.
Being a part of Thriving Forwards, has also been an incredible experience but also a very different environment. It hasn’t all been easy, but I have continued and carried on. Being apart of the Thriving Forwards workshops have been a completely different journey in itself. However, it has been an incredible experience from learning basic life skills to having our placement/internships. It’s all been different but wouldn’t change it for the world. I have learnt information about myself that not even I knew about myself and to learn basic life skills.
Overall, my whole Thrive journey has been absolutely amazing, and it is far from over. I have honestly had so many thoughts and feelings throughout my whole journey. But if I had to sum it up in a few words I would say it is challenging but so worth it. I am loving my thrive experience and I wouldn’t swap it for the world. Yes, there have been ups and downs, but it is such an amazing feeling to just be free and be in a space with such incredible people.
Comments