Kerri

Hi! My name is Kerri and I’ve been a member of the Neighbourhood Strays since November 2007. I first started taking classes in early 2006 with my sister because we were both looking for something to do that we knew would be considered "a little different." During the first few classes I knew it was something that I wanted to continue doing, but I wasn’t sure that my body would ever move as graceful and effortlessly as Andrea, my very talented instructor, insisted it would. Despite feeling like a wobbling baby moose for a long time, I continued on and eventually I started improving! I still have a long ways to go but with each class I take I gain confidence in my abilities.

Unlike many of the people that I dance with, I have never attended any formal dance training or danced in front of an audience. The first time I was asked to take part in a performance with the Strays I honestly thought my heart would explode from terror! However, I knew if I passed up the opportunity I would never be able to overcome my fear. I hesitantly accepted and it was one of the best decisions of my life. That night I found grace, I found acceptance, I found beauty, I found freedom. I realized that I had found a group of women who encourage self-expression, who do not judge. I found the dancer inside of me that was begging to be set free.

"To dance is to be out of yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful. This is power, it is glory on earth and it is yours for the taking." ~Agnes De Mille