My life hasn’t been as normal as everyone else’s. I’ve had to sacrifice opportunities to try to pursue my dream of becoming a professional dancer. I skipped my childhood because I had to learn to be a self driven and hard working to achieve my goals. Whether I liked it or not, I was in the studio rehearsing for hours on end, instead of hanging out with friends or going to birthday parties. To be a dancer, a person has to be self motivated, but having an admirable, compassionate mentor by your side makes things go smoother because they are with you every step of they way. Cameron Mathe is my mentor, role model, and most importantly, my best friend.
The first time I met Cameron will stick with me forever. At a dance competition, I noticed a man in the enormous crowd of people. Could it be my childhood dance idol, Travis Wall? As any obnoxious 15-year-old would when confronted with their idol, I bolted toward him. To my surprise, it wasn’t Travis. It was just a dorky guy named Cameron, which I later found out he was a teacher at a rival studio. I wasn’t supposed to communicate with other studios, but he was too friendly not to!
Eight months later, I went through a rough time and the only person there for me was Cameron. He “saved” me, like how Superman saves civilians, and brought me under his wing. He was now my new mentor. From that point on, he changed my life.
I look up to Cameron and am lucky that he is my mentor. He knows what I am capable of, so he sets high expectations for me and helps me achieve goals. It makes me realize that I have potential and warms me to know that someone believes in me. Dance is a team effort. We travel on weekends together and I assist him at studios. I am honored that he showcases himself with me as his assistant. I am not another student to him. I am Superman’s sidekick and we are conquering the world together. Taking trips with him and assisting him has taken our relationship to a whole different level. We are six years apart, we’ve only known each other for two years, but I feel like I’ve known him forever. Having my best friend/teacher supporting me through my journey, waiting for me off stage to congratulate me, and someone I can talk to is more than I could have ever ask for in a mentor.
I can’t express how much this man has taught me in two years. Not just with dance, but with everyday life skills such as how to be a good role model and friend. The most important thing he has ever taught me is to not be afraid of who I am. It is recognized that being a male dancer is difficult on someone growing up. But Cameron shook away the insolence from others, proving I can be anything that I want. Two years ago I was self conscious of who I am and what people thought of me. But I have slowly developed into a confident young women that is proud of who she is because of Cameron as an inspiration.
I will never be able to thank you enough, Cameron Mathe. You have greatly impacted my life and many others. I am eager to see where this journey will take us and to continue to grow and learn from my best friend.