how dancing helped make me the person i am

Bradley Taylor has danced since he was 10 years old. He is now 22 years old and continues to dance competitively. Taylor describes his journey fondly, believing not just dancing but the dance world’s community has helped him through struggles he has faced in life. 

Taylor came out as gay at the age of 16, he said: “I don’t think I would have come out when I did if it wasn’t for dance because everyone at the dance community is so accepting.” Dancing gave him a sense of confidence in himself, to be who he is authentically. 

Kirsty Marshall was the first-person Taylor came out to face-to-face, he said: “Dance accepted me regardless, I knew it [my sexuality] would have never been a barrier here.”

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“I don’t think I would have come out when I did if it wasn’t for dance because everyone at the dance community is so accepting”

Taylor danced for six years; winning national titles and not many people outside the dance community knew of his success, or that he even danced. He didn't feel the need to share this with friends at school, worrying they might guess he was gay. But he also felt he was dancing for the feeling more than the achievements, for the benefit it was having on his mental and physical health.  

“This is [dance] somewhere where I could express myself and be the person I am deep down whereas at school I had to put a barrier up and protect myself from any bullies or abuse.” Many old friends from high school have since told him they wouldn’t have reacted if he came out earlier and told them he danced. According to the LGBT foundation, coming out, and no longer feeling like you are hiding your true identity is a weight lifted off an individual’s shoulders, which is how Taylor eventually felt.

Taylor believes dancing has taught him so many valuable lessons in life, but above all else has given him a safe place to express himself, while feeling part of a wider community. “When you’re dancing you don’t think of anything else, you can purely focus on what you are doing at that moment and how you are expressing yourself.” 

Taylor is still achieving top results 12 years into dancing, with most recently winning both ballroom and latin nationwide titles; tension filled the ballroom while waiting to hear his number. Even though success in the dance world isn’t uncommon for Taylor, he still feels the same level of excitement and pride every time his number is called to stand on the first-place podium. Everyone at KMAD and dance schools surrounding feel joy for him as he walks towards his trophy, knowing hard work, discipline, and determination have gone into that moment. 

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Kirsty Marshall felt nothing but pride watching Taylor retrieve his trophies, with Taylor managing to keep his first-place title for latin the entire time he was in the under-21 age category, but even more pride was felt when Taylor’s number was called for first place in ballroom. “The ballroom win was really special as that particular section was fiercely contested and we were just aiming to be in the top six,” Marshall said. 

Taylor is known throughout the community as a kind-hearted man, bringing joy on the dance floor and off the dance floor, with many individuals jumping up and down watching him achieve his success. Knowing he deserves every bit of it.