Join THE RHYTHM

I grew up in an "average" home, but that perception shattered in high school when an informal settlement formed right next to our church. Suddenly, I was confronted with the radical difference in our hopes for the future. Though we lived in the same city—sometimes the same neighborhood—our worlds were light-years apart. I had access to elite education and international travel by age 16. I couldn’t stop wondering: Why me? Why was I born into this circumstance and not theirs?It made me realize how much easier it was for me to believe in hope simply because of the safety net I was born into.

The calling to share dance as a gift was confirmed piece by piece. I met a girl from Eswatini who had only dreamt of ballet until she saw us dancing. On a trip to Mozambique, orphaned children begged me to teach them. Upon my return, I saw the story of Michaela de Prince—an orphan who found purpose through dance—the very day before my church announced a school for the local community. Fourteen years ago, I started with just six students. Today, I stand amazed that dance has helped tw...