How dance healed my teen insecurity

  My partner and I won the first prize in the dance competition of Wenzhou Kean University, Sunday, Apr.27th, 2025.[photo/Peng Jiayi] When I traveled to Japan, I interacted with the quiet deer in Nara, Sunday, Jan.19th, 2025. [photo/Peng Jiayi]

     The Pop Dance Team ’ s students in the Wenzhou-Kean University have taken to the school's social media to express their concerns that the intense pre-game training that began during the semester has encroached on their free time.        The Wenzhou-Kean University Pop Dance Team, consisting of 16 members, typically practi c es from 8:30   and 10 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, according to team members.        The team frequently represents the school in major dance competitions in Zhejiang Province. They secured the first prize for the school at the 2024 Zhejiang University Students Art Festival. In 2025, they will represent the school in the Zhejiang University Students Street Dance Competition.        Currently, the team is gearing up for the event.   However, the recent training intensity has sparked dissatisfaction among team members, primarily due to discontent over excessively long training ...

     Last week, I noticed that my 14-year-old cousin was experiencing adolescent body image anxiety. This reminds me that during my adolescence, I also experienced adolescent insecurity due to my appearance.      During my adolescence, my thick calves and slightly overweight figure would draw ridicule from taller and slimmer girls of the same age.   Therefore, I feel extremely ashamed of showing off my body, and I even avoid looking in the mirror. Later, I walked into a dance studio. The mirror that had once frightened me transformed into a path leading to confidence. At first, I was stiff and clumsy when facing the dynamic music, and my movements were silly. I was afraid of being laughed at by others. But my dance teacher would gently encourage me. What impressed me most was the saying: "Look in the mirror and the best version of yourself is the one with the correct posture." After that, I worked hard at practicing, sometimes even until late at ni...