My dance is meant to convey the search for belonging and discovery of one's inner light. I used lanterns to symbolize that light and the longing to connect with others. The dancers behind me kept their lights on to represent a group that I felt excluded from. Eventually I realized that belonging sometimes means seeking the light yourself and choosing to join in. The choreography mirrors this journey, at first contrasting, then slowly aligning until we move as one. When the final lantern lights and we come together, it represents that final moment of connection, the feeling of "I belong".
