How dance and tumbling lessons prepared me for my freshman year of college, by Jessie Frank
First semester of college: Check! (And a BIG “check” it was!)
I am a freshman at Illinois State University. For the first time, I was away from all the things I am used to: my friends, my family, my high school, and of course, AMA Dance & Music School. AMA has been a large part of my life from the moment it opened, and not only because I am the owner’s daughter! AMA had become my second home, and I loved the classes I took, my teachers, the classes I taught, and the atmosphere as a whole.
I loved dancing for as long as I can remember!
The photo below is from my first recital ever.
I just turned three years old!
My mom knew early I could bend better than most kids,
so she made sure I had acro training very early on.
I thought it was so much fun… And easy!
I guess I would be lying if I said I didn’t learn more than others being the owner’s daughter. I got to see first-hand a lot of “behind the scenes” things that have taught me about being flexible in life and being ready with (and willing to use) a “Plan B.”
I originally decided to go to Illinois State University to be a part of their Gamma Phi Acrobatic Circus. Everyone is good at something. My strengths are working with children and acrobatics. So, I picked a teaching school that also had my favorite activity! I grew up with two role models that were in that same circus (my childhood tumbling teacher and my high school gymnastics coach). They both raved about how amazing the experience was for each of them. I wanted that same experience!
And, in August of 2013, off to ISU I went, fully having researched when tryouts for the circus were and when open gyms began. I even took flying trapeze classes over the summer to work on my agility and always challenge myself to try something new.
Me smiling for the camera getting ready to take that first jump on the trapeze!
Me getting “caught” by the catcher!
Me doing a split!
I was ready for anything and didn’t want to miss a thing once the season started. I had looked forward to being part of this circus for as long as I can remember! A few weeks into the preseason, I decided what events I liked best and I focused solely on those. I became aware that making an event would be much more difficult than I had originally anticipated, but that was not going to stop me from trying my best to make the ones I wanted to be in. I talked to all of the act captains. I wanted to make sure they knew who Jessie Frank was when tryouts came! I didn’t want to be just a random face, but someone who they saw working hard physically and mentally to improve in just a few short weeks and who would continue to do so as the year went on.
I also had the advantage of dance on my side. Many of the other gymnasts and acrobats did not have any prior dance experience, and each aerial act had to also perform a dance portion in the tryout to show fluidity and gracefulness, which, thanks to my years of dance training at AMA, I can do that pretty well. It was surprising to me that some acrobats had no problem doing a double front, or being flung up and landing on the top of a three high shoulder stand, but ask them to do a pirouette turn or dance to the music, and they are stumped. As a newbie, I was happy to help some of the returnees memorize the dance since it came easier to me than it did most. This helped me meet some new friends!
I was never more prepared for anything in my life. I was ready for tryouts – just two weeks away!
And then the unexpected happened. On September 21, 2013, I had severe pain “in my ribs” so my friends took me to the ER. I was doubled over and couldn’t breathe. I was screaming and crying. It was awful. Because I told the doctors I was an acrobat, they thought that I broke a rib. The X-rays showed no broken ribs, but the doctors were convinced the pain was injury-related and sent me back to my dorm with pain meds. I woke up that night again in even worse pain than the day before. My friends called my mom and she told them to put me in a cab and get back to the hospital and she was on her way. This time, I had a CT scan, which revealed stunning results: two blood clots in my left lung, unheard of for an 18-year-old!
The clots were pulling away from the lining of my lung causing the severe pain and were also blocking arteries, causing the shortness of breath. I was immediately admitted and put on blood thinners. I hope I never experience the crazy pain I was in for three days ever again.
My mom takes pictures of everything…
Even me suffering in the hospital.
At least she waited until I felt better on Day 4!
Not only did missing a full week of school greatly affect my school work, but I was told no physical activity for six months. Translation: no circus. All my acro training, cardio workouts, aerial practices and just pushing myself as much as possible was for nothing! I was devastated in my head, but to be honest, I was in so much pain, you could have told me anything and I wouldn’t have cared as long as the pain would stop.
Doctors explained that I had to be on blood thinners for six months. I had to be very careful not to bump, bruise or cut myself. The circus was definitely out. The doctors were very clear that I was lucky that I was diagnosed before it traveled to my brain or heart. And any injury moving forward could be life-threatening. Well, when you put it that way…
I had a long road of healing ahead of me. My professors were not at all understanding, which was incredibly surprising. The week I missed was the absolute worst as far as workload. I had missed four quizzes, a debate, online homework, and a speech. A few of my teachers were not willing to let me make them up since “policy is policy.” They told me there was nothing that could be done. WHAT?! I didn’t blow off school for a cold!
The one thing I learned at AMA Dance & Music School is that if you want something, you have to go get it.
Next week I’m going to share with you what I did. Watching my mother build AMA taught me to never give up and when you come up against a roadblock, you find a different way.
Stay tuned!
UPDATE: Jessie’s follow-up post is now live! Read: How dance and tumbling lessons prepared me for my freshman year of college (part 2).
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Inspiring!