Cailyn Hodges Finds Confidence Through Dance

Identity is how we express who we are. Identity is what makes all of us different and unique. For sophomore Cailyn Hodges, her identity is found in dance. Dancing for most of her life has shaped her into the person she is today.

“[Dance] has made me a better person and has taught me a lot of life lessons from the different people I meet,” Hodges said.

Hodges began dancing when she was two years old, and it has remained a prominent part of her life since then, amounting to fourteen years of dance.

“Dance has really made me more mature and has given me a lot more confidence,” says Hodges.

Hodges dances at Dance Connection Performing Arts Center, where she spends most of her time. The practices take up a considerable portion of her schedule, as she dances four times a week, with practice times ranging anywhere from 30 minutes to three hours. With all this time in the studio, Hodges has built strong friendships with her fellow dancers, and some of her closest friends are at the dance studio. Yet Hodges tries to balance these friendships, as well as her time, between school and dance.

“It makes my schedule a little bit harder, but I can usually manage my time pretty well when it comes to practices and my busy school schedule,” Hodges said.

Still, she makes time for dance, because it matters to her. Dance affects her in many aspects of her life, changing her schedule, but more importantly, her identity. She finds it to be a way of expressing herself.

“It’s one of my creative outlets,” Hodges said. “I can be myself when I do it.”

Dancing has improved several facets of Hodges’ life. It has shaped who she is and how she approaches everyday situations. Hodges will continue to dance and it will continue to change her life every day.

“It has definitely made me more mature as a person,” Hodges said. “It has given me a lot of skills that I need to use in my life.”