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I recently had a discussion with a lifelong dancer named Christopher Watt. Our discussion consisted of mutual interests, passion for our respected art forms, and the taxing creative process. We had a lengthy, intricate exchange concerning the demands of dancing: the emotional, physical, and mental strengths and weaknesses. He told me very sincerely that he loved his sport, and had loved it for as long as he’s been alive. Even before he was born.

“My mom,” Watt said, eyes gleaming with mischief. “Used to watch my sister dance at the studio when she was pregnant with me. She said she could feel me kick whenever the music would play.”

And that was how it all began. When he was 3, Watt was enrolled to dance at his local dance studio. When he entered high school, he attended Woodside High School and readily entered the dance program.

“I love dancing at Woodside,” he said genuinely. “I really love it. I love being able to be as creative as I want, and to dance with my peers. Sometimes it’s a challenge but it’s always worth it.”

I asked him to explain to me what the most important emotion to feel would be, in order to be a great dancer. After a moment of thought, he said, “Confidence. You have to be confident. You can’t feel like you’re not doing your absolute best. You have to feel like what you’re doing matters.”

That said, he expanded his idea to apply to a more general basis. “It’s like anything in life. If you aren’t confident in your abilities, you don’t really execute things the way you want to. If you don’t execute things the way you want to, you aren’t confident in your abilities. And so on. It’s a vicious cycle. But you can also flip it. Because if you are confident, you perform the way you want. And if you perform the way you want, it makes you more confident. It works both ways.”

Watt told me that he will continue to dance through life, accepting challenges and honing his skills as a dancer. He told me engaging stories about his times choreographing, performing, competing, and rehearsing. He recalled memories that he loved to retell because he both enjoyed them, and hadn’t thought of them in a long time. As a senior at Woodside, he declared with finality that he looks forward to choreographing his senior piece. By Amanda Howard