Taylor Boyle is a 16-year-old dancer from Tennessee. She dances at Studio Dance of Johnson City.
“I’ve been able to perform in large-scale productions in effort to raise funds for museums, youth organizations, and I’ve even been able to establish a scholarship fund for youth who may not be able to afford dance classes.”
Tell us about your dance experience!
I came to dance a little later than most. I started at the age of 11. But since then, I’ve put in the work and dedication to catch up in technique, and now [I] am the captain of my dance team! I love all genres of dance, but I especially like to focus on ballet technique and across-the-floor work.
How does dance have a positive impact on your life?
Not only is dance an artistic and emotional outlet for me, it’s also how I give back! I started an initiative called “Dance for a Cure” in 2022 where I organized a large-scale performance from many dancers in my area and 100% of the sponsorship dollars and ticket sales went to St. Jude. This year, I hosted my second annual event, and it was even bigger than last year! I was able to get Miss Volunteer America (a classically trained dancer) to travel to Tennessee and host masterclasses in addition to the performance I organized for the year. To date, I’ve been able to raise over $10,000 via my Dance for a Cure events! Dance gives me so much—I’m glad to use my talent to give back.
How do you want to use dance to have a positive impact on your community?
I want to use dance to impact my community in that it is so versatile! I can use dance for good, as I did with my “Dance for a Cure” initiative, but dance can also be a form of therapy and self-expression. I’ve been blessed to be able to mentor young kids through dance, as well as use dance to aid in community events. I’ve been able to perform in large-scale productions in an effort to raise funds for museums, youth organizations, and I’ve even been able to establish a scholarship fund for youth who may not be able to afford dance classes. Dance is transcendent- it can be used to entertain, educate, inspire, and to positively impact communities.
