Ortiz 1

Isabella Ortiz
DE Composition
3 March 2016
Fogelson
Art.
All my life I have always been riddled with stress and anxiety. School was a main
stressor in my life but my family and the expectations placed upon me have always been in the
back of my mind, affecting how I acted in my day to day life. Every day would result in another
point of anxiety, another thing to worry about. I would trudge through classes paranoid that I
would have to present in front of my peers or be forced to give my opinion unwillingly.
Freshman year was the culmination of all of my neuroses. One day as I was exiting my class, I
found myself caught in the hustle and bustle of passing period when a bright pink spot caught my
eye on the opposite wall. I made my way through the throng of the crowd trying not to get into
anybodys way and finally the words DRAMA CLUB in big bright letters became clearer.
Their next meeting was that Friday and they advertised an afternoon full of games and acting
exercises. As I continued reading, my heart began to pump harder and faster as the idea of
participating in drama games such as improv exercises began to register. On principle, I would
not have gone. However, as I stood in the hall with the mass of students around me beginning to
dissipate, something in me clicked. Suddenly, I had a sudden urge to attend this club. In all
honesty, it was the most out of character thing I couldve done at the time but I ended up going.
Looking back, it was the best decision I had ever made.
Two years later, I stood backstage of the Paradise Education Center auditorium one
Saturday night, gazing out at the audience behind the curtain. Anxious thoughts crowded my

Ortiz 2
mind as it began to race with possible failures. However as the lights went down to signal
showtime, I shut it all out. I didnt have time to focus on the negative so I instead focused on the
positives. If I hadnt seen that flyer outside of my class, I never would have joined. Since then, I
had embarked on a journey of personal growth and experiences all based in the performance arts.
Fortunately, I made this decision which consequently led me to stand backstage surrounded by
my fellow actors about to perform this musical for the last time. We as a Drama Club had spent
countless hours, days, weeks, preparing for this moment and it was about to all come to fruition.
After two hours of song and dance, the last note of Part of Your World rang throughout
the auditorium. The lights went out and for a moment we were all caught in a charged silence.
Suddenly, the applause roared all around me, filling up all the extra crooks and spaces of my
mind until all I could hear and feel was the repetitive pounding of the audience. The lights came
back on, yellow and bright, crowding my vision. All of my senses were being assaulted as every
little thing around me was heightened. Nevertheless, in that moment, every worry, doubt and
reservation I had melted away until I truly felt free. I felt an overwhelming sense of
accomplishment, pride and success at what I had just done, up there on that stage that Saturday
evening. The stage was filled with the cast of the Little Mermaid congratulating me,
congratulating each other on what a good job they had all done. The love and respect we all
shared for one another was omnipresent and could be felt in every hug that was given and every
tear that was spilled. It was one of the best moments of my life and it is what brings me back to
the stage every year, eager to perform whatever play is up next. This is the memory that I take
with me everywhere I go. I remember it constantly when I need a reminder of what I am capable
of and the joy I have when I do it.

Ortiz 3
Essentially, this is what art is. Art is such a broad term that it can be described in several
succinct adjectives that encompass everything that it stands for. Art is beautiful, it is full of
respect, it is inspirational, and it is acceptance. Artists everywhere feel the same rush of emotions
that I do when Im up on the stage, whether it's in the performing or the visual arts field,
rendering art a universal experience. The beauty is that because art is such a diverse field,
everybody is encouraged to fulfill their own dreams no matter what. Now, it must be recognized
that not everybody is artistically inclined, that through trial and error it has been made clear that
they are not the next Michelangelo.
Art has been a constant presence in my life. From creative writing to chorus to drama
club, it has shaped me into the person I am today. I am more confident, I am a leader and I do not
shy that easy from a Everybody deserves this chance. Our semester project will aim to give
everybody this chance so that they are not deprived of art and how it can heal. Art healed me at a
point in my life when I needed it. It has helped many of my peers get through hard patches in
their lives. Everywhere I turn, art is everywhere, enveloping the world in its influence and
impact. The community of Surprise deserves the chance to explore and express themselves
through art and hopefully with this project they will be given the option to do just that.