“It is the heart afraid of breaking that never learns to dance.”
- Betty Midler, American Actress and Singer
Dancing can be a determination of expression, an outlet for emotions, a desire for glory. In expression put together by forms of movement, no matter the style, you can find a message being declared. Emotions of the dancer, of the work, of the music–all let out. And glory… it’s the sense of accomplishment to not just the audience, but also in oneself.
You will never see the work behind a dancer’s performance on stage; the weeks and hours full of sweat and blood are never found on the faces of a dancer or the floor of a performance. As an audience you can only capture the final essence, the beauty that is portrayed by the dancers. So what is the drive for a dancer? Agnes De Mille of the American Ballet Theatre would tell you that it “is power, it is glory on earth and it is yours for the taking.” Do not be mistaken, for the power and glory is not only from the audience, but more from the dancer. Power and glory that can be found through dancing, as the will to dance, to explore, is strength itself.
Here in Houston, this kind of motivation is embodied in Jessica Galvan, founder of Above All House of Dance. Upon graduating in 2005, Jessica went back to her own neighborhood in the East End of Houston to establish her own studio and dance company. The purpose of her company is to serve the community by creating an environment where kids can reach their full potential.
Jessica likes helping kids explore the different styles of dancing. Although Jessica’s own strength is within the modern style, the studio also offers jazz, ballet and hip hop classes. Her focus is to let students experience and explore the different styles and to grow through art. She believes that as dancers learn to dance, they build character, and for that reason dancing should be taken seriously. What’s better is that the students love it. And that is her goal. At the studio, Galvan treats each student as her own, giving them the necessary motivation and the required technique.
“I can make a dancer out of anybody,” says Jessica Galvan. And this she has done. Shaping and molding dancers, Galvan will be presenting her company at this year’s Latin Dance Festival: Bellas Danzas con funk on Saturday, November 14th.
