WATCH DONIE'S STORY BELOW:
"It makes me feel like I'm truly living my fullest life."
Let’s be honest, at one point or another, we’ve all had an idealistic vision of our lives, hoping our plans would unravel accordingly. In reality, life isn’t a straight path, there are turns, twists, (flips splits?), a few bumps, and a bunch of potholes along the way. Especially if your path takes you through New York.
The responsibilities of life, whether its career or family, often keep us from pursuing our passions and dreams. The forces of everyday life can outweigh our most purest ambitions and erode our loftiest desires. Some fight through, while others just coast through life unfulfilled, asking themselves “What if?” as they go through the motions each day.
Donie Burch, a proud ballroom dance student, rediscovered her love for performance and dance after her career had steered her away from it.
This is her story.
"I have a lot responsibilities in life.... none of them compare to the feeling the I have on the dance floor, in the dance studio."
A dancer at heart, Donie has danced ballet and jazz since she can remember. She was a part of her high school dance team and joined a professional dance company her senior year. Shortly after college, Donie moved to New York City in the hopes of becoming a professional jazz or contemporary dancer, but her career as a buyer at Bergdorf Goodman’s took off, and her dreams of making it as a professional dancer dissipated.
Donie, now Director of Retail for Broadway Dance Center, has to juggle a busy personal life, a hectic work schedule and a mountain of responsibilities.
By taking ballroom dance lessons and pursuing her passion at Dance With Me dance studios, Donie not only challenges herself and her body, but more importantly she fuels and fulfills her love for performing and self-expression.
"I feel like when I achieve something in dance, my personality is at its fullest, and that's showcasing the real me."
Ballroom dancing has reinforced Donie’s sense of personal achievement and confidence in a new way.
With each completed level and DanceSport accomplishment, her driven personality is satiated…until a new goal is set.
Whether it’s technical progress on a lesson, a ballroom dance competition, a stage showcase performance, or just letting loose at a dance party, Donie feels the most free to be herself on the dance floor.
No matter what happens at work or in her personal life, when Donie gets to Dance With Me the outside world fades away, all that matter are the steps, exploring and expressing her emotions, and truly connecting with herself.
What did you think of Donie’s story? Know somebody who can relate?
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