Theodora Oldfield

Like many, my draw to Inspire was the dance program. The idea of being able to dance while at school seemed like a dream to me. Just the fact I could take a class in dance in high school felt like I was being listened to- that my love of dance was being recognized as something rational and necessary and not just a hobby.

The opportunities I have been presented with from being an Inspire student in the dance program are astounding. To this day I still remember combinations I learned at Radix dance competition. I remember the encouragement from my peers that eventually led to my love of improvisational dance. I remember the feeling of choreographing a 17 minute long ballet in our spring production of Rogers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!” as my Senior Capstone Project and just how proud I was.

However, the thing I remember most that will stick with me for a lifetime wasn’t the dance program by itself- is the integration of Arts and Sciences at Inspire. I will never forget tap dancing in the recording studio to see what microphones would work best on them, just like I will never forget history presentations done in interpretive dance form or my friend’s dance inspired by the prevention of global warming. These things among countless examples made me realize that my art of dance was not independent from the world of science or language or music- they are all worldwide expressions. Because of Inspire I have a perspective that few in the dance industry are lucky enough to have.