We spoke to 16-year-old Gracie, who has been awarded for her success in dance.
My favourite thing about dancing is how it lets me tell a story without needing words. When I’m on stage I feel completely free and confident, and I love connecting with the music and the audience. It’s also the best feeling when all the hard work in training finally comes together in a performance. I actually started dancing when I was about 18 months old. Even while I was going through treatment for retinoblastoma I still went to dance classes. It was always my favourite part of the week and something that made me really happy. My mum said I always loved music and moving, so dance just felt like the perfect place for me.
One of my biggest achievements has been competing and placing first in competitions against really strong dancers. Recently I won 1st place with a perfect score, and the judge specifically mentioned my storytelling, musicality and performance, which meant so much to me. For me it’s not just about winning though; it’s about proving to myself that I can keep improving and doing what I love.
I lost vision in my left eye because of retinoblastoma when I was two, so I don’t have sight on that side. Sometimes that means I have to work a bit harder with things like balance, spacing or spotting in turns. My teachers have been really supportive and I’ve learned to rely a lot on muscle memory and practice. It’s just normal for me now; I’ve always focused on what I can do rather than what I can’t. Right now I’m really excited about the national competition coming up at Butlins! It’s a huge competition with dancers from all over the country, but it’s also so much fun and the atmosphere is amazing. I’m really looking forward to performing there and just enjoying being on such a big stage.
