Me in 500 Words

My First Dance Recital

I've been a performer for more than half of my life.

At the age of 6, my mom bought me a pink tutu, matching leotard and ballet shoes. During my first week of kindergarten, my mom sent me off to lessons at the dance school around the corner from my childhood home. 

I then went on to spend 10 years in dance lessons. I showed up week after week for lessons in tap, jazz, ballet, hip-hop, modern and most importantly to me, musical theater.

My first competition dance I ever performed in was a musical theater piece choreographed by a famous choreographer who worked on So You Think You Can Dance. He also happened to be our studio owner's son. This was my first encounter with musical theater, and my love only grew from there.

My passion for it grew to be so big that I wondered, “Why am I not involved in anything theater related?” It was then that I decided to audition for my 6th grade play. 

Fortunately for me, I was cast as Brave Pine, an Indian girl, in Peter Pan Jr. This role had approximately three lines and 15 minutes of stage time, but I was happy to be a part of my first theater production.

Peter Pan Jr. 2016

One thing about our middle school theater department was that it was about as far away from broadway as you could get. We had two teachers who ran the production, one whom I loved but had little background in directing shows and another who supposedly had a background in theater but you couldn't tell that by the horrible way she directed. 

However, my eight grade everything changed. The beloved, well-known and respected theater director from the high school right next door had stepped in to become our new director for our production of The Lion King Jr. I had heard so many wonderful things about Mrs. Krenek, or Mama K as the high school students called her.

Mrs. Krenek cast me as a lead dancer in the production. During our first rehearsal, I remember she made me feel so special, loved and valued, even though we had just met. 

She told me that she saw something special in me and wanted to give me more responsibility and allow me to choreograph some of our dance numbers in the show. I was ecstatic that I could use my years of dance lessons and competitions to make our production amazing. I also knew that first day that Mrs. Krenek was someone special.

The Lion King Jr. went by in a flash. During our few months of rehearsal, I became incredibly close with Mama K. She mentored me, taught me and showed love and respect to myself and my fellow cast and crew members. 

I had never been a part of a more positive and loving performance than the one Mama K created. Even after the show was over, Mama K and I remained close. I was filled with excitement knowing that in a few months I would get to work with her at the high school level when I joined my new school.

Mama K and I at The Lion King Jr.

However, that excitement soon ended.

May 18, 2018, Mrs. Krenek held a special workshop for all of the eight grade students. We all gathered together in a lecture hall to learn about the broadway musical "Hello Dolly," which all of the eight grade students were going to see. Shortly after the workshop began, Mrs. Krenek stepped into the next room for a second.

Moments later my principal was running down the hall with a defibrillator. Mrs. Krenek lay unconscious on the floor. What we didn't know at the time was that she was not just unconscious, but that she had passed away in that very moment.

The next 24 hours were some of the hardest of my life. The days, weeks and months that followed were not easy either. My life today is not the same because I suffer from post traumatic stress. 

There is also a deep, unfillable hole in my heart knowing that my mentor and someone who had a profound impact on my life will never walk earth side again. Today, I look back on the time I had with Mama K with awe. She taught me so much as both a performer and a person.

I often wonder how a woman I knew for less than a year could have had the biggest impact on my life.