Jooty, 34

Perhaps coming here will increase my artistic ability because it is from our experiences that art is derived.

For as long as I can remember, dance has been the passion of my life. It’s the main activity that has been the sole reason for me to live. I’ll explain why. I was born in Compton, CA, the ghetto. Although I have two brothers and two sisters, I grew up an only child. My mother, Georgestine after [being] released from three years in prison, was fortunate enough to gain employment with the state of California. I was eight, she was given a promotion and we relocated to Sacramento. Moving to a new town was tough. But I was a very creative kid. One Christmas, my mom got us tickets to see The Nutcracker performed by Sacramento Ballet. It was the first time I saw how beautiful the human body was able to move. From that day forward I was enthralled completely. I wouldn’t stop moving and spinning around the house. I did research and found a free ballet class in my area. My mom signed me up as soon as possible. And bam it was love at first step. I took to dance like a fish to water. Jazz, ballet, hip hop, contemporary, modern, samba, tango, waltz, gymnastics, tumbling. It was all so natural to me. I couldn’t get enough. It was something that I could never forget. I was actually an overweight child and I came out of the closet in the fifth grade so you can imagine that other kids had plenty of reasons to bully or tease me. But no matter what anyone said I would always reply, “But I dance better than you, so…” and then they would want to freestyle battle. And that was all she wrote. I actually am the Monsters of Hip Hop Freestyle Champion of 2009, one of my proudest awards. I have plenty of trophies and have traveled and even got to choreograph for Jennifer Lopez and a movie called Leave It on the Floor. It was voted one of the top LGBTQ+ films of all time. It wasn’t until I took a break from dance due to hardship that I ever got in trouble for the first time. I believe that had I not taken a break, I would maybe own my own studio by now. But everything happens for a reason. Perhaps coming here will increase my artistic ability because it is from our experiences that art is derived. When I go home I intend to go to school to earn my degree in business administration and English. I would like to be a talent agent and then one day own my own studio. Dance is a beautiful form of expression and art. Without it I don’t know who I would be as a person.