Dancing in Poland: Fountain of Inspiration Competition

This month, my ballet school traveled to Warsaw, Poland, for a competition called Fountain of Inspiration. It was an exciting but challenging experience. On the first day, we went on an excursion around Warsaw's center. It was really cold, but it was interesting to see the city. Later, we checked into our hotel and had dinner together as a group.

The next day was the competition. We woke up early to get ready, but my roommate and I almost didn’t finish in time. We were late by five minutes, and our teacher wasn’t happy about it. Before going on stage, I was really nervous, as I always am before performing. However, once I started dancing, the fear disappeared, and I focused completely on my performance. It went well, and the next day my teacher even said she was proud of me. We ended up winning first place and received a special diamond prize for elegance and uniqueness. After the competition, we visited the Neon Sign Museum, which was colorful and fun to explore.

On the last day, we went to the Copernicus Science Center. It was interactive and engaging, and I learned how some of the laws of physics apply in real life. It was a great way to finish our trip.

Through this experience, I achieved several CAS learning outcomes. I undertook new challenges by performing in another country and overcoming my pre-performance nerves. I also demonstrated perseverance and commitment by practicing for months to prepare and focusing during the performance despite feeling stressed. Additionally, I worked collaboratively with others, as my team and I supported each other throughout the trip and during the competition. This experience showed me the importance of teamwork and staying calm under pressure.