Sebastian Le, a Business and Dance student from the University of San Francisco, has joined EngAGE as an intern working with EngAGE Intergenerational Programs Director Liv Schaffer. Liv is also the Director of Dance Generators, the University of San Francisco’s intergenerational dance company, which we featured in our previous post. See Sebastian in action in these great photos by Hillary Goidell, courtesy of Dance Generators, and below them, read his thoughts about his experiences during his first month with our program.
My first day onsite at Crescent Park and Hayward Senior Apartments put me in a position where I knew no one and that made me feel uncomfortable. It was reminiscent of my first days at school, or the first time I attended a Dance Generators rehearsal. Not knowing anyone forces me to step outside of my comfort zone and socialize to get to know others. My three years spent with Dance Generators prepared me for this experience. I grew comfortable with everyone in the group through our shared love and passion for dance. It allowed me to share personal experiences verbally and through movements with others. Entering into EngAGE communities was a little different because the interests and passions of the residents are more varied. This provided a new challenge for me to push myself to find intersecting interests or life stories to connect with.
My nerves decreased as the weeks progressed. From dance classes to Bingo, my experiences onsite familiarized me with the environments and cultures of each property and continued to develop my social skills. The kindness and openness of the residents made it easier for me to find my fit in their environment. The confidence of the residents to move without a care in the world in Hayward, or the uplifting chatter during the Bingo games at Crescent Park, felt contagious to me. To see people with little to no background in dance be so willing to try out movements with us has infused me with confidence to strike up conversations and explore new choreographic ideas. In Hayward, during an activity in dance class where we passed our moments from one person to another around a circle, you could feel, with every passing, the creativity and willingness to attempt new ideas increase. Instant duets were created by initiating movements from obscure parts of our bodies. I found myself motivated to think outside the box and try out a move that I am not accustomed to, exploring the various possibilities inspired by older adults with no professional dance training or experience.
Joining the EngAGE team as an intern this summer, I did not know what to expect. However, throughout my time so far, I have been able to get to know a lot of great people. It makes my day to see the residents fully invest themselves in the activities and have a joyful time with each other. The infectious energy of everyone I have been able to meet has made my time so much fun. I look forward to the ideas that we will continue to generate within our movement classes and to further developing relationships with the residents in Hayward and at Crescent Park. Connecting across differences can sometimes be uncomfortable, but I believe it is a sign that I am learning more about myself and gaining some insight into where my discomfort comes from. All the residents have been very welcoming and kind to me, and I hope that can reciprocate that same energy for them. I am excited to learn more about everyone and see what the rest of this summer has to offer.
