Growing up hip hop6/13/2023 ![]() Throughout her experience with dance, Sillah has continuously tried to find a happy medium and balance with sticking to the expectation of how a dance “should” be choreographed based on the music and style versus adding one’s own personal spin on it. ![]() “She’s able to be a leader in a way that she can take charge of a situation especially as needed, but does so in a way that people still feel valued and valuable… like they’re contributing to a part of something and they’re not being told what to do exactly,” said Janet Sozio, a guidance counselor, supervisor of dance at the high school, and director of the WHS Moving Company. Aside from showing leadership in dance, Fatima also exemplifies her skills in YES, a school club that brings students of all backgrounds together to create a safe space to talk about and combat systematic racism at the high school. Something she did find growth in was her leadership skills and advocacy especially when working with friends and students her own age. However, no matter what a performing artist is facing, there is always room for growth and confidence.įor Sillah, self-confidence was never as much a mental block for her as others. This is especially true during their early to late teenage years which usually come with a changing body, social awareness, and expectation. Quite commonly, performing artists may struggle with self-confidence. Only with a solid basis for the moves can the special touches of self-expression and confidence bring the dance to life. The back and forth feedback as well as the rerunning of steps or numbers helps to build a stronger foundation for the team as a whole. She’s also good at figuring things out especially if you’re having trouble figuring out how to do something and it’s different than what she expected, she’s good at changing around to fit other people,” said Miah Phillips ’23, one of her dance peers.ĭance is all about working around and constantly checking in with both the teacher and student. “She’s very creative… She’s been really good about others messing up and making mistakes, like if I do, she helps me figure out how to fix it. ![]() She sometimes looks for advice from YouTube or her friends, but mainly just allows her body to groove to the sound, remembering to stick to the loose but ever present guidelines of the dance. Sillah likes to describe it as a “good game of telephone.” First she makes sure she listens to the song multiple times both in and out of school to get a sense of the rhythm, beat, and style. Sillah was able to extend her knowledge of dance to her other peers when she helped choreograph the school’s musicals Mamma Mia and Something Rotten, as well as International Night led by Young Ethnic Scholars (YES).ĭuring rehearsal, Sillah relies on both the music and her peers to bounce off her ideas. She works as a choreographer and teacher for the high school’s shows and performances. And that’s a way of kind of expressing how I feel… definitely don’t think I ever tried to go against the music,” said Sillah.Ĭurrently, Sillah dances both in school and out. And I move my body and I use my facial expressions. “I kind of like to think of a story that I want to tell and then I just move along with the music. When it comes to dance, she often lets the music guide her. Sillah caught on to Afro-dance quite easily while watching her relatives, and that same type of free-flow technique is something she has always carried with her along the way. From a young age, her attention was mainly drawn to prominent Black dancers who continue to influence her dance style to this day.Īt family gatherings, others would often say she was the life of the party. Growing up, her inspiration mainly came from spending time with her brother’s 90s influence, creating Musically and Dubsmash dance videos with friends, and watching TV series and influencers like Step Up, Missy Elliot, LA Playground, and more recently, artists like Tanisha Scott. Through it, Fatima Sillah ’23, a dancer at heart from the very beginning, has discovered the beauty of self-expression and identity.Įver since the age of three, Sillah has been exposing herself to different types of dance ranging from ballet and contemporary to jazz and hip hop. Dance is an art, it is a skill, and it is history. Dance requires a combination of strength, flexibility, and body awareness, but saying that dance is only a sport is still far from the truth. Though many claim that dance is not a sport, it actually is. Photo by George Lucozzi, ASA Photographic. Whether dance takes place at family gatherings, with friends, or by herself in her room, the joy and comfort it brings to Fatima Sillah (shown here in center) is endless. ![]() This is one in a series of POPS senior profiles we’ll be publishing. Special to The Swellesley Report courtesy of the Wellesley High School Bradford and Parents of Performing Students (POPS).
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