Hana Muhsinovic (19), is a member of The Place’s youth dance company SHIFT, who were one of the dance companies invited to perform at the press launch event for Angela Rippon's Lets Dance campaign, aimed at encouraging people of all ages to embrace the joy and benefits of dancing.
Here, Hana tells us about her path in dance and what dance means to her.
The Place: How did you get into dance, and how long have you been dancing for?
HM: Initially I started ballet at a very young age. I would admire the older ballerinas and stuck with it, in hopes to be as graceful as they were.
TP: What does dancing bring to your life, and how does it make you feel?
The versatility and expressiveness of contemporary dance was what drew me in particularly. Dance turned into something that I could make my own, as opposed to attempting to replicate others. I discovered it's a way of expressing your own thoughts and emotions that cannot be verbalised, and each and everyone's will be different.
Dance takes me away from everyday life, and puts me in a world of my own. Whilst I can use it as an escape, I often find dance engaging all of my senses, almost as a form of mindfulness.
It makes me feel the most like myself.
TP: How has dancing helped improve your health and wellbeing?
The dance community is warm and welcoming. You feel seen and accepted, more so than with any school friends that you may be seeing every day. The creativity from everyone in the group, as well as the openness to new ideas is refreshing.
Dance makes my body feel good and energised as opposed to drained.
Struggling with body image growing up, I always saw sports as solely for exercise function. However, dance has truly shifted my perspective in that it is so much more than simply moving - but creating and expressing.
Join us for our Let's Dance weekend 28 Feb - 2 March
