Influence on Our Individuality and Personal Development

Individuality is the term, which practically all people use to describe themselves. They believe that the unique set of genes and life experiences create an individual image in a social environment. Since a part of the philosophers oppose this fact, the issue of individuality continues to be the ongoing debates. I know for sure that I have the individuality, which have relationship with my childhood experience in dancing. Although one may not believe that the individuality exists, I consider dancing as the primary influential factor that has positively affected my character, because it trained both the mind and body as well as helped me develop critical thinking skills, which I use during the self-analysis.

First, a childhood experience or memory has a significant influence on our individuality. It makes who you are right now. When I was a seven-year-old child, my mother took me to the dancing shop. She asked me to pick up a pair of the dancing shoes. The various types of the beautiful dancing shoes standing on the shelves and waiting for a right person to buy them. They had different colors and sizes, so it was challenging for me to stop looking around and try on the dancing shoes which would suit me well. In a while, I chose the black dancing shoes with three-centimeter heels. As soon as I wore on my dancing shoes, I would feel like everyone was looking at me admiringly. The dancing shoes became the symbol of beauty and confidence for me. The dancing shoes continue to make me happy because they help me to develop and show my individuality. Additionally, I began to associate the dancing shoes with self-expression, and the Latin dance, which I chose, started to play the significant role in my life.

Furthermore, actions and mistakes shape and modify individuality. When my mother brought me to the dancing school was one of the most critical and painful for me. I wanted my teacher to reproduce the Latin dance which I saw before on TV. Instead, he offered me to learn the moves and steps that were the part of the basic Latin steps, and it is boring. I immediately gave up repeating the steps which the teacher showed to the group. At this time, something clicked in my head, and I became very disappointed because my expectations were different from the reality. First, I realized that I could not see the Latin dance in motion. Second, I could not make the difficult steps. I walked to the corner and sat on the floor. After few minutes, he recognized that I was sitting in the corner and was looking at the window. He came and sat next to me, and he told me that faced the exact situation during his first days at the dancing school because he did not have enough knowledge and experience to analyze what had happened. As my teacher explained to me that nothing could be accomplished without learning and practice, I began to understand my problem. He helped me become aware of the mistake which I could have made.

When I accepted the reality and found a solution, my individuality reached another level of development. I understood that I had to reconsider my attitude to dancing and maintain a positive attitude to everything that happens during the training. I practiced for four hours each week with my partner. We went to the dancing room after school, Sometimes, I forgot the next step, and my partner would remind me. I remembered that I sprained my ankle while I was practicing some steps, but I only took a couple minutes rest and started to practice again. I believed that if I continue practicing every week, I will dance on the stage. With the help of the teacher, who was more experienced than me, I learned how to accept the situation, and find a solution to it. Since I have improved my attitude and behavior in the critical cases, I feel that I am certainly the person that I want to be. Thus, the changes in my mind have positively affected my individuality.

Every time when I was either preparing for the dancing classes or had personal problems, I recalled my teacher’s words about the necessity of persistence in anything you do. When my partner or me were not in a good mood for classes, we still managed to overcome all the interruptions of thinking, tried to concentrate on dancing and began to work hard. According to the professional dancer, who helps others in their career, “As we listen to music and allow our bodies to respond to it, this natural physical expression of creativity emerges” (Ugelow n.p.).

Finally, my personal growth reached a higher level when I could perform in front of the large audience. While the music started, I bent down slowly, and my hand tightly twined my knees as I curled into a ball. After a few seconds, I straightened and stretched out my legs as well as raised my left arm and pointed toward my partner. At this moment, I quickly danced in a circle toward him. My left hand softly touched his face, and his black eyes stared at me like bright stars in the sky. Suddenly, he held my waist, and I could feel his breath. My sweat dropped on his costume. As the music reached the climax, I pushed Steven away from me, so he fell to the floor. As I walked two steps and jumped to the side of the stage, Steven cuddled himself as a hedgehog. I mimicked his action. Although we slowly walked to the center from two sides of the stage, our resentful eyes staring at each other. Steven pushed me away, and he held onto my left hand with his right, catching me as his arms pulled tautly and spun me out and away. While he reeled me back in, I fell into him, and his strong arms were wrapping me tight. My injured leg made me feel nervous because I knew that I must dance well for all the people who came to watch a centennial gala. It was an unforgettable moment for me as I had to accept the challenge. A voice came to my mind which told me not to give up. Everyone’s eyes appeared surprised on his face. I jumped as high as I could. I opened my legs straightly and horizontally. My hand switched in the air. I closed my eyes to enjoy this beautiful moment, and he held my hand as I fell to the ground. The music gradually disappeared. We walked to the middle of the stage and bowed deeply. The hall was so quiet enough that I could have heard a needle dropping on the floor. Everyone was still immersed in our performance. After a few seconds, the applause burst from the audience.

Overall, throughout my life, I realized that my individuality possesses the specific features, habits and background. My childhood and the close people have made a positive impact on the development of my personal character and gaining the valuable experiences. Dancing has become the way I both express myself and shape my individuality. Perseverance will not make you successful, but without it you will not get anywhere.