I’M INSPIRED BY nature, music, literature, and language, and I'm fascinated by the body and what it's capable of. I am constantly in awe of our planet and the beauty that surrounds us, and I find that simply taking a moment outside usually puts me in a very creative headspace. The way nature often mimics our bodies and emotions or vice versa, is something I love to explore. Music is also something that inspires me greatly, specifically interesting lyricism, which leads me to my interest and love for literature. I am a little bit obsessed with language and the way we communicate with each other, and how language has evolved and continues to. Whether it is written, spoken, or expressed through movement, the way we communicate with each other and to ourselves is so important, and something completely universal, which I love. Lastly, I will always be inspired by the human body itself and its ability to move the way it does. I love anatomy and appreciate the wonder of what our bodies can do, and I really enjoy discovering new sensations within my own body, or watching someone else make discoveries through movement. I think it's often taken for granted how miraculous it is that we're even alive, much less able to dance and move the way we do.

I FIND PURPOSE IN connecting with other people and seeing the impact I've made on my community. As I get older, I'm starting to realize that the relationships in my life and the people I surround myself with are really what's most important to me. I find purpose in making people feel valued and loved, and being a part of something much bigger than myself. I think everyone wants to make the world a better place, and the most accessible way for me to do that is to put effort into how I treat the people around me and try to help as much as I can. I think I'm always searching for meaning and purpose in my life, and anytime I've felt really lost in that search, community has always been what I've come back to. Dance has been a constant source of purpose in my life as well, to the point where it's often blended with my identity as a whole. As with any relationship, my connection to dance has changed throughout my life, and I've had to learn how to maintain it as a sense of purpose and meaning for my life without letting it become my entire being. Still, I feel as though I really was meant to do this, and I can't imagine myself in a world where I wasn't a dancer.

WHAT MAKES ME COME ALIVE exhaustion, as odd as that may sound. I love pushing my limits, and I feel the most alive when I am in an environment that pushes me, both physically and mentally. When I think back to the moments in the past couple of years where I've felt truly alive, it's the moments of pure adrenaline, where I'm focused on nothing other than my body and the power I have to produce something, which usually happens on stage. Performing truly makes me feel alive, as well as the process leading up to it. On the flip side, I also feel very alive in the softer, quieter moments of life when you realize just how special it is to exist in this world with other people. Great conversation and connection to my community make me feel just as alive as performing does. 

Instagram: @laurannekay