Dancing is a delicate art, with powerful expressions, controlled movements and precise timing all blending together to ultimately create an authentic story. For Prianka LeCroy, a senior at Lambert High School, this story has been told for as long as she can remember.
Her mom enrolled her in Indian classical dance classes when she was just four years old, and has fallen in love with the activity since. Specifically, she performs the Bharatanatyam style, a style that originated from Hindu temples in southern India and encompasses ideals of resilience and adaptability.
“It was a type of stress reliever for me and a form of self expression,” LeCroy described. “I also learned about confidence and found my natural talent through dancing.”
Indian classical dance is unique in the aspect that you tell an intricate story through movements and specific and deliberate facial expressions. She has embraced this nature and used it to really express herself through dance.
Yet, being able to precisely convey your emotions through movements demands hours upon hours of time. Having complete control over your body, face and mind requires gruesome practice. She often comes home sore and exhausted from three hour rigorous practices perfecting her art. Despite this, she has developed an effective method of managing dance, school and her other hobbies including Indian classical singing and soccer.
“Dancing has helped me learn effective time management because I have to spend so much time practicing on top of my schoolwork,” LeCroy stated.
On August 24, was her temple’s graduation ceremony for students of the art, a pivotal point in her dance career. Not only was it her official debut as a professional Indian Classical Dancer, but it was also the mark of the end of her dance training. The three hour long performance represented her completed story from a year and half of practicing the art.
“I remember feeling really nervous and pressured to do my best because it was the final presentation of all the skills, lessons and values I’ve learned,” LeCroy recounted.
Moving forward, LeCroy can officially begin another story, one where she helps others learn how to express themselves through dancing.
“I think I’m gonna start teaching the younger classes, or maybe serve as a teacher’s assistant for my former coach,” she explains.
Everybody has a story to tell and for Prianka LeCroy, Indian classical dance is and will always be her way of doing so. Despite the tires of fatiguing and rigorous practice, she continues to practice her art with as much love as she did when she started. As a fitting finale to her story, she will now help others begin to write theirs through dancing. LeCroy has found her passion, and will continue to utilize it to express her innermost self.
