Home Away From Home

Home Away From Home

By Scotty Flores

I miss my family. I miss being within 5 minutes of my friends. I miss chasing after my neurotic puppy whose fur you can find on every couch, rug and sock.  I don’t miss the triple digit heat. I miss driving alone with my parents and our long talks that keep us up past 2am. I miss cobalt blue glass in every corner of the house and the sound of a million keys jingling coming home from work.

Moving to Seattle to pursue dance has to be one of my best decisions to date. However, being far from home is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. This will be my first summer away from home after a spring semester. I won’t be able to visit until December, that’ll be nearly a year away from my loved ones. As much as I love where I am and what I’m doing, I still get homesick.

I’ve made enormous strides in my time studying, training and living in Seattle the past two years. Looking back at my progression stuns me quite a bit. Two years. And look where I am now. I still have a long way to go, of course, but a lot has happened. A lot of the time I wish I could run to my friends and family to share the joys and pains I’ve encountered these past two years. It’s been quite hard adjusting my life to an entirely new place where I knew absolutely no one.

Seven months ago I auditioned for 127^th St. Dance Co and little did I know how dear to my heart they would become. Within my first rehearsal as a company member tears were shed with one another while working on a new piece. I’m pretty sure about ninety percent of those tears came from me. Those first five hours with the company were physically, emotionally and mentally draining. I loved every second of it. It didn’t take to long to find sanctuary with the 127^th.  

We are all working towards the same goals and want each other to succeed. We push one another other to improve, exceed and shine. We hug, we laugh, we cry and lean on each other. We share a passion for something far beyond movement. 127^th St. Dance Co. has been my safe haven. The company is my family. They’re my best friends.  

Although my heart aches from time to time, I am reminded constantly how blessed I have been these last two years. The opportunity, love and lessons I’ve leaned with 127^th have become priceless moments of my life I will forever value. This makes it all worthwhile. Being far from home hurts, but because of what I am doing, I know I’m in the right place and on the right path.

“Missing is just a part of moving on.” –Unknown