Dylan describes herself as “funny, beautiful, and just a little bit crazy,” but when she’s dancing, this girl becomes “unstoppable.”
As a little girl, Dylan always danced around the house. She enjoyed watching the “Dancing Dolls” on Lifetime’s Bring It! and would try to emulate their moves, her mom says. This is what sparked her interest, seeing all the different styles of dance, and Dylan decided she wanted to pursue competitive dance herself.
Now 11, Dylan has been dancing for almost two years with the Dynamic Pearls of Atlanta, a dance organization started in 2016 by Kayla D. Moore, or “Coach Kay.” The mission of Dynamic Pearls is to “encourage children to gain a sense of consistency, develop high self-esteem, discipline, involvement in the community, and most importantly, to achieve academic excellence.”
It seems Coach Kay is fulfilling her mission, as Dylan’s self-esteem is thriving and she’s doing very well in school. Dylan says that being a part of the Dynamic Pearls has taught her how to be “a better young lady” and has improved her listening skills. She also says it’s helped her realize that “not all people will like you” and “you should stick to the people who do like you” — an important lesson to learn, especially given today’s devastating rates of bullying.
Coach Kay devotes a lot of time to developing a sisterhood amongst the Dynamic Pearls, as well as addressing the topic of bullying and promoting self-care, which Dylan’s mom, Nykia, appreciates. Dylan seems to have a good handle on how to treat others, which is demonstrated by how she explains sportsmanship. “Sportsmanship means just be a good person…even though you may not win at every competition,” she said. “Don’t be mad at the other team…shake their hand; congratulate them.”
Dylan’s motivation — to be a good dancer and a good person — comes from her coach, and also her mom. She says that being aware of how much money her mom has spent on dance pushes her to do her best. Competitive dance isn’t cheap, but that’s where Double Good can help—and did help Dylan.
The Dynamic Pearls of Atlanta teamed up with Double Good in order to raise money for uniforms, competitions, etc. Nykia said this fundraiser is “the best ever,” noting how much she appreciated not having to collect money or deliver the product. Nykia’s aunt and sister were Dylan’s top supporters. “She’s a good kid, so people were inclined to help,” Nykia said.
One day, Dylan hopes to become a captain for the Dynamic Pearls, but for now she’s happy being a part of the team. She enjoys the camaraderie, as well as learning new things and meeting new people. Most importantly, though, Dylan says dancing with the Dynamic Pearls gives her confidence. “I act more aggressive,” Dylan said of her personality while dancing. “I’m powerful toward the moves.”
“My daughter is very unassuming when not dancing,” Nykia said. But when that choreography comes together and Dylan hears that music, “she transforms.” ‘
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