Reflection

Reflection

“Good morning, Hell!” This was the news I woke up to two years ago when the skies in my hometown, San Francisco, turned an apocalyptic orange as wildfires raged on. Then came the restrictions: children cannot go out to play, adults were advised against outdoor exercise, and older people were warned to stay indoors. That’s when it hit me - climate change is real! This drove me to read up about problems such as ozone hole, carbon increase, and fossil fuels, while I also started reading about what we can do to combat them: sustainable living, community clean ups, and increasing green areas. My submission tells the story of wildfires in California and the impact that it had on our lives. The dance begins by showing how fire and smoke is spreading, and that people are struggling while ordinary life is disrupted. Masks become essential, sick people keep getting sicker, and children become confined indoors. The middle of the dance focuses on bringing everyone together and planting more trees to symbolize unity in action. Finally, the dance ends by showing that with everyone making an effort to save the environment, we can make a change. This is emphasized by movements showing rain coming down and clearing the wildfires, which helps reverse climate change and makes our world a better place. In our beautiful planet, where the consequences of doing nothing are incredibly high, I hope my submission shows that arts can play an important role in encouraging people to work towards a resilient future.