Cool Kids on the Block — Valeria Mora
By: Recess Media Uw
Tags: Creativity, University Of Washington, Interview, Dance, Artist Feature

Welcome to Cool Kids on the Block, Recess Media’s weekly feature project where we showcase different creatives on campus who are passionate and committed to their work. New stories up on Medium every Wednesday.

This week’s Cool Kid is Valeria Mora (AKA Val), a dancer and a sophomore at the UW. She is involved with The Kompany and UW HHSA on campus and is planning on majoring in Early Childhood and Family Studies with a minor in Korean. Read on to hear more about her story, her inspirations, and her words of advice!

Stay up to date with Val at @imvalmo on Instagram!

Tell us about it! What is it?:

Val: This particular interest has always meant something more to me than what it has always been labeled or categorized to be. Whether that be a hobby, sport, a form of exercise, or activity, this little something is very special and important to me. For a person such as myself who has a difficult time verbally expressing her feelings, thoughts, and emotions, this has always been a useful outlet that has allowed me to express my true feelings helping me discover and realize new things about myself. It possesses a kind of power that words can’t level up to in comparison. This little something has no boundaries and a welcoming, diverse community of individuals all brought together by sharing one similar passion. That passion being Dance.

So, what’s the story?

V: As a kid, my parents always placed me in sports since my family had already made it an ongoing tradition to place their kids in a sport, mainly soccer. Although I played for several years, it wasn’t something that I was very passionate about. Later on, in the 7th grade, my school had this tradition of throwing a staff vs. students basketball game every year. And this game didn’t always have a halftime show until that year. The halftime show was a performance by our local high school competitive dance team. Watching them made me feel something. I couldn’t explain what that feeling was, but I knew from that moment on Dance was something I was going to begin investing myself in. I also swore that when I got to high school, I would make sure to audition for that very same team. No matter if I were to fail, I would continue to try again because it was something I was hungry for. The moment I made the team, something sparked in me. Dance truly made me happy I had finally found something I was very passionate about. Little did I ever suspect that one little hobby would turn out to be something that would go beyond being just a hobby for me. I couldn’t be any more thankful to have been a part of that team all four years of high school. It helped me out of my shell thanks to my teammates, coaches, alumni, and other outside friendships that Dance helped me form. They helped me grow and realize my true potential while helping me realize what I wanted to do with Dance in the real world. After realizing that Dance had become a part of my daily life, meaning it is something, I couldn’t live without, aside from my career in education, I also plan to pursue and work towards a professional dance career.

What or who inspires you to continue your work?

V: I would have to say most of my inspiration comes from looking back upon my past self. Looking back at videos of myself from what seems like centuries ago when I was taking my first few baby steps (or moves in this case) helps reassure me that growth does exist. Over the years, I’ve realized that the idea of a “perfect” dancer does not exist because everyone has their strengths, but with that also come their weaknesses. Everyone’s growth process is different. Not everyone grows and or starts in the same place. Although sometimes growth can not be instantly visible, I’ve learned that everything I do, whether I realize it or not, helps me in the long run. Then a moment when I least expect it, then and only then, it will begin to hit me on how far I’ve come when the places I most struggled in become easier and come off more naturally. No matter my skill level, Dance continues to bring me happiness, and no matter the obstacles or my weaknesses, it will not stop me from dancing.

What advice would you give to people who are just starting a hobby similar to yours?

V: What are you waiting for? JUST GO FOR IT. You don’t have to be a professional dancer who danced backup for BTS or had been dancing ever since you were in your mother’s womb to determine whether you qualify to be a dancer or not. If Dance is something that you truly have found makes you happy and helps relieve your stress or whatever the reason is, keeps bringing you back to the world of dancing, then YOU KEEP DOING YOU. Who cares what anyone else has to say? Not every single dancer in the universe dances the same as the next. Everyone has the thing that makes them unique. If every dancer danced the same, then dancing may have died out like the dinosaurs. Never try to be someone you’re not because at the end of the day, there’s no one else in the world like you, and that will always be your greatest superpower. And if you ever have a difficult time staying motivated, always refer back to your “WHY,” remember why you started and why you continue to love Dance so much can be a huge help. Trust me. Don’t be afraid to reach out to others for help with anything. You can even reach out to me. I’m always happy to help others, HMU anytime let’s grow together :)

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