The following guest blog is from Shayla D. Johnson, a Lexington-based artist and member of the KFW Board.

In the Beginning

“In the beginning God created……..” (Genesis 1:1a) I love that God’s first “movement” was to “create”; it justifies why He created me the way He created me. I am movement. I am breath. I am art. I create.

Dance has been my chosen language for as long as I can remember. Because of my severe shyness, my parents enrolled me in several different activities, ballet and tap classes being a couple of them. I fell in love instantly because it was a form of communication that did not require me to speak. Even today, in spite of my love of the spoken word, dance is still my favorite and preferred form of communication I believe that to whom much is given much is also required, I have tried to create safe spaces for others to create and fall in love with dance just as much as I have.

Through youth community dance classes, church-based dance ministries, and beginner ballet and tap classes I try to foster an environment where there are no creative wrong answers but only opportunities for expression. I know I’ve done my job when I can see a contagion of creative “light bulb” moments occurring with my dancers and I cease to be the teacher but only the conduit for inspiration.

I am never not dancing. The music may change or fade, the spotlight may dim or darken and the audience may disappear but I will always be moving. I will always be creating. I will always be.

~Shayla D. Johnson, 5/10/17

Disclaimer: 

The content on this blog is composed by a independent student voice who is interested in feminist art for social change in KY. The viewpoints expressed belong to the guest author, who is not a member of the KFW staff.