Flor's Dance Journey
By Ellen Alvarez
The dynamic and competitive world of dance presents a wide range of challenges for dancers, all of which need determination, dedication, and flexibility in order to succeed. In order to become great and thriving artists in the field of dance, dancers must overcome technical limitations, competition, injuries, and cultural expectations by fusing athletic ability, mental resilience, and creative expression. Their journey serves as an example of the transforming power of willpower, creativity, and perseverance in overcoming setbacks and realizing one's dancing potential.
Flor Massey inspires images of a powerful woman. Combined with passion and tenacity. As an Afro-latina, few can understand how her kinky hair and bright demeanor influence her as a person. This dancer and friend of mine is a wonderful person who has always encouraged me to become a better version of myself, and to understand how my life challenges influence me to perform better emotionally. You can refer to her as visual poetry. Flor is stunning in both her actions and her words.
She provided a shield for others in the community by speaking out to prevent confrontations and by keeping others safe from risks associated with society. From her skill to her dance to her voice she constantly adjusts. Adjusting to a new environment, a new task, or a new life. Flor inspires a lot of people because of this, including many individuals and children. Flor taught many to be creative and appreciate the process of crafting. She taught me how to carry myself and smile with her maturity and compassionate energy. Dance is the music of her soul.
Since the second year of high school, Rahnieme (Rah) and Flor have been close. She constantly watched out for me and other people, Flor challenged herself to become the best version of herself was nearly her life's work. The majority of people were willing to accept into the violin and dance high school, where the arts were the primary focus and everyone was encouraged to become artists. Everyone was captivated with dancing, and it was here that she met Rah, a charming girl who gave a tour of our campus and introduced me to Flor.
"I recall dancing with her during my first year," Rahnieme stated. She was so vivacious and happy all the time. Individuals confided in her. She welcomed and consoled everyone who entered the room, giving them the impression that she was a warm embrace. Everyone was struck by her lively demeanor, and her understanding of others. She was a true role model, despite the common belief in high school that everyone just wanted to mess around and graduate.
This woman was the kind of person that would always say what she thought, and if she thought you were wrong about something, she would tell you to your face and make the necessary corrections. The topic of this dance presentation was "this is me," and I vividly recall the dance from the Greatest showman. She was always willing to provide a hand to other dancers, giving them feedback based on their abilities and areas for improvement so that their performances would appear more polished to the general audience.
"You could see and feel the intensity in the room during Flor's dances, which always centered around something serious yet beautiful," Rahnieme stated. When she performed or danced, she had a way of almost melting into other people's imaginations. Seeing her dance and even portraying herself was breathtaking. Flor has always had a sincere love for dancing. It was how she expressed herself. It was her means of expressing who she was in the world and avoiding a sense of confinement. Flor is unrestricted.
This teacher is her own breakthrough. She works as a teacher after school, but she doesn't see it as a job; rather, it's something she loves doing to help children learn and feel comfortable. She had to work hard to get scholarships in order to be able to dance since when she was younger, she could not afford to join a dance company where her parents could not afford to spend around $10,000 to support their daughter's goal. This dancer is aware of the difficulties and hopes to inspire the next generation by demonstrating that it is possible to pursue your goals through nonprofit organizations and still develop personally and influence the world. Flor stated “To be able to give children that same experience and give them dance education without having to spend a cent is a real full circle for me.” Flor's story demonstrates how passion and determination can change not just one's own circumstances, nevertheless the lives of countless others. It is a tribute to the strength of tenacity and the significance of giving back.
Her life is not all fun and no heartbreak. She is not alone in her struggles; there is a difference between being aware of challenges and actually being able to alter your own fate in the process rather than the ones left by others. “In my personal experience, the hardest thing about being a dancer, especially being a black person in any artistic form, there's going to be a lot of people that tell you that you can't and give you dumb reasons or all these limitations on why you can't do what you want with your life in general.”
Since many Afro Latinas are told they are incapable of becoming dancers, many students currently in high school still look up to her for inspiration in Violin and Dance, as well as participating in multiple dance organizations. Many of us hear that we are too black to identify as Latinas. She is a stunning woman of color who captivates the senses with the thought of a black woman performing in any style—ballet, hip hop, classical, or other. As a black dancer, she inspires all of us, and I think many others who follow in our footsteps will also find inspiration in her.
In perspective, many never knew how much of an impact she had on so many lives as a woman and an Afro-latina in a culture that recognizes her but does not recognize her own skill. Flor has several social media accounts, including YouTube and TikTok, where she shares her skill and that of many others. This dancer is a multi-talented woman with skills in teaching, choreography, dance, and creating art. That, to me, is a full package.
She is an individual who prioritizes herself. Someone who can be both expressive and responsible in the same body. To be speachless to learn how little many know of her life's accomplishments for someone who has performed so widely. She is one-of-a-kind, and stunningly her individual self. Due to her self-confidence and her awareness of her own greatness, Flor is both an open book and an amazing woman. You can tell as soon as you hear her name that she will surpass your expectations to a degree that even she is surprised she can achieve.