People who do music are supposedly geeks. It’s just a fact, and let's not get started on marching band, that's not a sport. Thankfully I still love music. Even if people think it’s lame, and I really hope that this doesn’t change. Ever since I was little I liked to sing. I blame my mom because her first completed major was in music performance. Now I play three instruments and sing, So let’s just say I think music can shape people. My first “performance” was when I was about 5 and then I just kept going. First, I sang. Then later when I was around 8 I started playing the piano, and later I had my first piano recital. Next in 5th grade, I took up the clarinet. I actually wanted to play the flute instead but my parents said it was too girly. Later when I was older, one of them told me that they didn’t want other kids making fun of me at school. Yeah, I don't think that was the actual reason; I have done a play and multiple musicals as well, and In 8th grade, I got to join marching band for Shawnee and have now done it for two years. Thanks Covid. Then finally, on my 14th birthday I even got my long-awaited flute. After a lot of pestering, and the excess of clarinet players in the band  I finally got to switch to flute and was allowed to play it in the band this year. Then this year I joined the winter guard. For those that don’t know, Winterguard is like a marching band but without any instruments. Just Colorguard, with their flags, rifles, and sabers. Since I have been in it I have found the love of dance again. I am able to be around a lot of fun people and we get to practice together. I get to be on the rifle line. Though, when I started I was not good at all and was far better at flag instead. Even still, I still look forward to the practices at the end of the day to dance and learn new tosses and choreo. Even if I have given myself a part of a black eye from trying to show off a toss. 

Now, I know what you’re thinking. “ This is super long, boring, and I don’t even care.” and I’m sorry. Although, maybe that is part of the problem. Thus coming to my views on the arts. People don’t care about the arts. Which is awful because they allow for creativity, let people express themselves, or provide entertainment and fun. They can be a pass time for boredom and they take just as much skill to do as does a sport any kind of athletic program. People should appreciate the arts and the people who do them more. For example, the art of music should definitely be more appreciated because it can be an outlet for people to express their feelings. According to the French poet, novelist, essayist, playwright, and dramatist. Victor Hugo says “Music expresses that which cannot remain silent” Therefore, music should be more appreciated because it can be therapeutic. Which is something that is helpful to everyone. Especially with everything that has been going on in the world recently. I feel that if everyone just spent some time a day setting aside to play music together the world would be a much better place. Playing with other people has this magic of togetherness just like a team of basketball players would have. If everyone in the world did it for just a moment I truly believe that people would be happier. Music has the ability to give people a feeling. When you have done an art for so long just for others to not appreciate it, or have them think less of it makes you feel dejected. It’s also frustrating because I have seen people who are good at music stop. Or not even try something like a play or a musical when they could have so much fun if they tried it. I feel if people opened their minds and gave an art a try they would surely enjoy it. Of course, it won’t be easy. Like with anything else you will need to practice or get some lessons.In my own  personal experience, music has been a part of my life for a very long time and because of this I have seen how people look down on the music department at school. The music wing in the school in the first place is in the bottom of the school like it’s a dungeon. Not to mention we have sheet music as old as my mom if not older. Or, and forgive me, that marching band isn’t viewed as a sport. I can’t fix the other two at this moment but I can fix the last. Now maybe it’s because people don’t actually know everything that the marching band does. So I can tell you some of that soon. Now to show you why it is actually a sport I can give you an actual definition of a sport. The literal definition of a sport from Oxford languages is, “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment”. In marching band we spend hours practicing outside doing drills and basics block, and if you have never tried to do an asterix drill while keeping yourself in time, with proper technique, trying to land in the correct spot, while keeping a box formation. Then you are FAR from comprehending what marching band is about. These asterix drills get your calves hurting. Especially if they back you do it at super fast tempos. As for the competing part we compete against other bands for grand champion when we go to competitions. So when you have people telling you what you spend so much of your after school time doing isn’t hard or isn’t a sport. Not only do you feel inferior but you feel like you people don’t care about what you do, and when you spend hours perfecting a show for people to not even give a single clap or cheer it is disheartening, but not only that it’s rude, and this isn’t just what it’s like for people in marching band. Not even for people who do music. This is how it feels for anyone who does any type of art. For example, people who do drama. For young actors in the school plays who spend time after school learning a performance leading up to opening night and to not have many students show up is disappointing. 

Speaking of which, drama should also be looked at as more appreciated. Which is odd because in doing plays you can be in a place where you can meet new people and do something different for a change. Personally, I feel that not a lot of people don’t do drama which is beyond me because not only are the people that are there just down right hilarious and we have had so much just foolish stuff we have done, but the atmosphere there is just convivial,  you also get to pretend to be someone who would do something you would never. Whether it would be a deranged writer who can get the crowd laughing or the main character who runs the show. Whatever it may be, drama should be viewed more highly. Not only because of the entertaining performances, but because of the friends and memories you can make there. For me, I have many goofy pictures and videos that are enjoyable to look back on that are just perfect memories to have. I highly recommend that people try it, and so you don’t go in blind have a friend or two join for the ride. 

Moving on to dance. Though I haven’t had as much experience with dance as others it has still touched me in a tremendous way. As I said earlier I got into dance while doing winter guard. After I went through some of the practices I went to Heather for some help with some ballet. Not only that but then I started watching more dance things on youtube, I also started to do backbends. I even got into wanting to do gymnastic types of things. The point is when I started to dance. Even though it’s not a full-on dance class. I still fell in love with it. I get to be in an environment where I feel I can be myself there, and learning the routines makes me feel good. So I would highly recommend it to others to try it out with their friends. However,a lot of the time I feel guys are embarrassed to dance. As if dancing is too girly or makes them seem less masculine. For whatever reason there is this stereotype of only girls dance. Which is annoying because it puts one more restriction on what guys can and can’t do because it’s not masculine. This shouldn’t be the case. There are football players who do ballet to help them with their performance on the field. If a football player isn’t masculine see as masculine. Then what is? Now maybe some people don’t dance because they are shy which is understandable but they should at least try it. They may even be extremely talented, it also could help them be more confident in themselves and improve their self image. In point and case dance should be more cherished because it can open a door for people to more things they enjoy. As well as, give some people who don’t enjoy some of the other sports a way to exercise. Dance also can give people another way to perform and entertain people with an impressive move such as… the loved by everyone breakdancing headspin or a powerful grand jete.

So now I leave the choice to you. You can either get out of your shell and try something new, or go on with your normal life and think “what if ?”. Either way, I hope I have opened your eyes to a new world of possibilities and changed the way you think when you see someone bringing in their instrument into school or look at a painting, because without the arts the world would be much much more boring.

Works cited:

Hugo, Victor M. William Shakespeare. Victor Hugo, 1864, quotepark.com/works/william-shakespeare-1831/.