From My Backyard to the Big Stage: Why I Still Choose to Perform

It’s absolutely insane looking back at where I was five years ago.

At that time, dance was still relatively fresh in my life. I definitely wasn’t the type to record my journey as a beginner—I wasn’t that brave yet. I didn’t want to see the awkward and shy teenager.

But I was fortunate enough to join a community that pushed me. I had teachers and friends who were invested in my growth, which eventually led me to a moment during lockdown that changed my trajectory: practicing a solo routine by Vishu in my backyard.

The Confidence Gap: Moving from Bhangra to Salsa

Coming from a background in Bhangra, you’d think I would have walked into the Salsa and Bachata world with my chest out.

I’d grown up performing; I knew what it felt like to be on stage but that confidence didn't translate at all.

When I started learning to dance Salsa and Bachata, that experience didn’t carry me. I felt like a beginner again. The mechanics were different, the "vibe" was different, and the vulnerability of solo shines felt completely new.

When I was out in my backyard during lockdown, sweating through another 'lockdown challenge', I wasn’t thinking about joining a men’s shines team. I was just trying to dance for fun and change up the mundane routine sitting around at home waiting to be able to go dance with my friends again.

The Full Circle Moment

Looking back now, it feels surreal. I went from dancing in the grass in my backyard, watching a video of my idol and trying to mimic his style, to actually performing his routines alongside him.

That shift—from "fan" to "teammate"—didn't happen because of a lucky break. It happened because of the one thing I preach to my students still, to this very day: The Structured Roadmap.

I focused on setting goals for what I wanted to achieve and got to work breaking it down to manageable steps, bit by bit helping me build the relevant techniques to be able to perform confidently.

Why I Perform (And Why It’s Not About the Applause)

People often ask why I like performing, despite the stress of the experience. Between teaching hundreds and hundreds of group classes, private lessons, wedding choreographies AND my day job, why add the pressure of a stage?

For me, performing is the ultimate "audit" of your discipline.

• It Kills the overthinking and mental chaos: When you’re on stage, you can’t be thinking about your weight distribution or your foot arch. You have to have drilled it so deeply into your muscle memory that it becomes effortless.

• It’s an Exploration of Movement and Creativity: Performing allows me to challenge a different side of my movement. It’s a chance to see what my body is capable of when pushed to the limit of speed, clarity, and expression.

• Respect for the Hard Work: More than the performance itself, I find the process impressive. I love watching a group of people show up week after week, putting in the boring, repetitive, disciplined work required to make something look "easy" for three minutes.

Final Thoughts

To Vishu and Shannell—thank you for believing in me and pushing me to grow.

Whether you’re practicing in your backyard or preparing for a national stage, remember that the goal isn't to be perfect from day one. It’s to be brave enough to start the journey and disciplined enough to see it through.

I’m excited to see what this next year brings.

Let's get to work.

Want to find your own flow? If you're ready to move past the "beginner gap" and build your own roadmap in Salsa or Bachata, book a 1:1 private lesson here.