Authored by Danny Sandquist
It is an ordinary Tuesday at 6:15pm, at her dance studio, Dance Express. Rebecca Needleman and her team are practicing their new dance routine that their dance instructor has just taught them. Rebecca does the routine to her best ability as always, giving 100% as she performs. The Dance Express Ensemble is getting ready for their weekend of competition. Rebecca brings to every competition her creativity and love for self-expression.
A normal day for Rebecca is always filled with at least two hours of dance; she is focused and she does not get distracted by anything else. Competitive dancing can be tough due to the amount of time that is required, but Rebecca is not bothered by that. Rebecca started dance when she was five when she was signed up by her parents. She actually quit when she was seven, and then went back because she missed the social aspect and the fact that she was with a team. Her neighbor kept telling her how fun it was for her when she was younger. Rebecca emphasizes “I was very curious to see why people were working so hard at something so I figured I would try it out.” She tried out three times to be on her competition team which she was finally accepted onto freshman year, and Rebecca has been participating on for the past four years. Rebecca has just been chosen as one of the teen leaders for the “Wingman For Dance” program which promotes kindness, inclusiveness, and teamwork so that everyone feels as though they are a part of something. She has also gotten an opportunity to be a student teacher, at her dance studio, for preschoolers who are just starting to dance like she used to be.
In addition to dance, Rebecca has a passion for art. She is in Art 4 at Oliver Ames High School, the highest art you can be in. Rebecca got into Art when she was in first grade. She attended after school art classes up until 6th grade, she adds “after sixth grade I started to focus on taking art as a class just in school, instead of going to out of school classes and I really enjoyed how I could use my own creativity, and no one could tell me I did something the wrong way.” This class has allowed her to learn how to express herself in multiple ways. Rebecca also claims “I would definitely describe the courses as sometimes difficult and frustrating, but rewarding.” Rebecca loves art and always will. Along with a honorable mention Rebecca has received two gold keys from the Scholastic art and Writing Awards . She won one of the gold keys last year, and the other key this year, along with the honorable mention.
Rebecca’s creativity defines her as a person, she continues to say “I have always been always creative not just in art class, I am very organized so I do my best to color code, write lists, and make fun birthday gifts for my friends.” She puts everything she has learned in art into real life situations whether it’s a present or simply a text message. Rebecca is always looking for new ways to display her creativity.
Rebecca spends her free time hanging out with her friends and family, but it can be tricky to find time for that, and balance dance and her social life. She loves to go to places like Starbucks and Panera with her friends when she does not have dance. The majority of her friends that she hangs out with also do dance, some of these girls have become her absolute best friends. So they show each other tips and tricks on certain routines if they need help. As she talks about the time she has she says, “I think the amount of time I have is perfect because I never get bored. I am always occupied.”
Rebecca also has a great relationship with her family. She tries to be home as much as possible because she knows that time flies when you are having fun. Even though there is almost no time for anything else, she works as a babysitter for Oliver Ames English teacher Mr. Schussler.
Rebecca stated that she may continue to do some type of art in the college, though she is not sure what yet. As for dance she is unsure what she will do, but there is a good chance she will do an intramural dance program wherever she goes to college. Rebecca feels it made her who she is, and taught her to try things that may be out of her comfort zone, and by stopping it takes anyway who she is. She is excited for all the opportunities that college has for her, and will take advantage of them in any way possible.