Dancer of the Week: Tarika Holland

What type of dancing you do?

I currently only do modern/contemporary and ballet which are my focus genres of dance. I have experimented with some hip-hop before which is a challenge for me, but always a lot of fun. I do hope to expand my versatility and take jazz and tap classes one day.

When did you started dancing?

I never saw myself as a dancer when I was younger. It was easy for me to grasp the concept of every other art form except dancing. But when I was in second grade, I went on a field trip to the annual Black History Show at my current school. I instantly fell in love. I worked very hard throughout the rest of elementary school to ensure that I would earn myself a spot in Davidson.

What special performance skills do you have?

I just do it and enjoy every moment of it while i’m up on stage. Certainly, I let the audience see that I am loving what I am doing through my energy and movement. 

What are your work habits in dance?

I give it my all. I may not get it the first time, but don’t stop until I do.  I practice whatever given class physically. I get help and ask questions when it is necessary. Most importantly, I work on myself.

What is your creative process?

For inspiration, I look at dance videos and movies. When I am choreographing, most times I don’t find a song first because I feel pressured to dance to the exact beats and rhythms or create movement intended for the tone of that particular song. Also, Ito keep track of my movements, I record videos to remember what I create. I write or draw out my choreography. I document everything, even my personal feelings in the creative process. It’s very complex… and even very difficult at times, but it’s my creative process and I love it.

What career risks that you’ve taken?

I think the biggest risk I’ve taken is dancing solo. It’s only you dancing so you are the only one responsible for every mistake, every fall, every slip up, and everything wrong. But, you are the only one people are looking at and you get to show the audience who YOU are.

My artist name was who I am planning to be as long as life and my career allows me to be, and would be the first time people would see is0latedbeauty. It wasn’t a talent show and dancing on the gym floors. I had a real performance, an audience of hundreds, and a big stage that could swallow me whole.

It was a risk expressing my newfound artistry and style. Hence. my piece had a very strong message that I subliminally expressed in that dance and that many probably overlooked. It was the best thing that has happened to me so far, and it is a period of time I will never ever forget.

Tell us what changes you will like to see in your career?

I wish to be more vulnerable and honest. I am working on not being afraid to put myself out there and not being ashamed to ask for help or feel weak when I need guidance. I hope I continue to take risk and diminish my comfort zone completely as an artist. .

What are your goals in dance?

I hope to graduate high school and go off to college to major in dance possibly in a big city. I would love to dance with a company for some time, but I wish to be freelance and even  have my own company one day. My company with focus on the concept of isolation. My pieces will always have an isolate, someone set aside, someone not like the rest.

I wish to be a company that focuses more on the art and raw emotions of dance and the dancers versus the technique and tricks dancers have and can do. I also wish to write books about my evolution as a person and as a dancer.

Writing is another one of my passions, so I wish to start combining my two arts more and in different ways. I hope to also have my own dance wear line for dancers of all shapes and sizes. I just wish to inspire others. I wish to tell my stories through my art.

What is the future of dancing?

There will no longer be an image of a dancer engraved in anyone’s head because we will be fee from the mindset that you have to look this way, be this size, be this color, or even dance this way to be considered a dancer. We will accept that ANYONE can be a dancer. I hope dancers are accepted as artist because we tend to be thrown into a category of our own and I think it is because many are unaware that dance is indeed an art.

I hope we become free from the mindset that technique makes and defines us as a dancer because it doesn’t. Many dancers, like myself, feel so pressured to have the perfect technique or worry so much about consistent training (lucky for me I attend a fine arts school, but I still desire more and we all know that being a dancer isn’t cheap!!) and how they are going to pay for it.

I hope we become more accepting of those who just love the art and are trying their best. And lastly, the future for dance will consist of many stories to tell from this era of time. And I can’t wait to see these stories be told through movement.

What would you like to say to young girls starting in dance?

GO FOR IT!!! Do not be afraid, just go for it! No, it will not be easy. You will fail a lot. You will cry a lot. You will get told no and you will get rejected a lot, trust me I know. But you will also smile, laugh, get back up, and succeed as well. You have to want it for YOURSELF. You have to do it for YOU.

Being young, it is easy to fall into traps of distraction, and you will sometimes. I have. But you must do your best to stay focused and focus on the things that truly matter. If you fall off, get back on it like you never go off of it. You have to believe in yourself and you can’t be depended on the beliefs and confidence others have in you. You won’t always get it the first time, but try again. You will discover why you didn’t get it the first time or receive something completely new.

As you get serious, many things in your life will change, but change is good. Most changes will occur for the better. You may not think so at first, but trust me, eventually you will see it. BE YOURSELF! Don’t compare YOUR JOURNEY to anyone else’s because your journey is yours, you are you, and it will never ever change.

It is not very easy being accepted in the dance world no matter how big or small you dance world may be, but you gotta keep pushing and proving yourself. Don’t let what others think and say tear you down.

Keep your head held high and remind yourself everyday in whatever way of who you really are. Lastly, HAVE FUN!!! Enjoy it all. The art of dance is something so beautiful, and it is an art form that will not only sculpt you into a beautiful dancer physically, but a strong-minded mature young lady as well. It’s worth it. You are worth it. Love this art, and most importantly… love yourself.