Student artist of the month: Joselyn Winslow ’26

Dancing has been important to Joselyn Winslow ’26 ever since she was young. Introduced to it by her mother, Winslow has been dancing all the way until and throughout high school, where she continues to practice the art. At PHS, she not only dances for the annual Black History Month assembly, but she also continues to explore her passion for dancing in her free time.

What types of dances have you done?

I did ballet for a really long time in high school, but throughout my whole life, I’ve done hip hop, tap, and contemporary dances.

What is it like dancing for the Black History Month assembly?

It was really good to dance for the Black History Month assembly, because I was dancing not only for me, but I was also dancing for everybody that’s [a part of] my culture. It’s also nice to show other people my culture and our dancing style. To prepare for the assembly, I practiced a lot in order to achieve the tricks and moves.

What does dancing mean to you?

[Through] dancing, I am able to express myself [and] be able to put how I’m feeling not in words, but into my body … and also inspire others. It makes me feel free in a different way and [allows] me to show my feelings without being judged.

How do you prepare for performances? How do you normally practice?

I usually stretch and listen to pump up music. I would normally practice in a room that has [lots] of space with a mirror. I’ve been practicing in my room and literally anywhere.

What is your favorite memory from dancing?

I would say when I brought my best friend into dancing. When I was a freshman … she wasn’t really into dancing [before]. I think that was one of my best moments to see her learn ballet.

What are some challenges that you have faced before, and how did you overcome them?

A challenge I faced was just not wanting to go to ballet practice. But, I have to understand that, this is something that I do love, and it’s something that I plan to do in the future, and I want to get better at. So if I want to, I have to keep going at it.

What do you consider the most challenging about dancing?

When you can’t get the counts, miss a step, or mess up, [especially when] you’ve done it multiple times. And technique is not too hard, but you can do something perfectly well and then forget to point your toes and have to redo it.

What are your future goals with dance? Do you see it continuing to be a part of your life after high school?

I know I’m going to focus on my major, which is nursing and education. But I think that once I actually have a secure job and money, I will become either a dance teacher or a dancer again and have my own studio. In college, I plan to pursue it in college as long as it doesn’t interfere with my major.

How has dancing changed for you over the years?

I feel like dancing made me who I am today. If I didn’t dance, I wouldn’t be Joselyn. I feel like it sculpted me, in a way. If you could share a piece of advice for rising dancers, what would it be? I would say, don’t quit, even if it seems hard or annoying, [especially if it’s] what you want to do. It makes you who you are at the end of the day. And I think that you should keep pushing until you can’t push anymore.