Young in Age, Seasoned in Dance: 17-Year-Old Una Finds Her Rhythm in New York

In the studios of New York City, 17-year-old Una is often the youngest in the room. But don’t let her age fool you. Barely a year into her life in the United States, she has already carved out a place for herself on stage after stage. For her, dance isn’t a passing interest—it’s the foundation she has grown up on.From Ballet Shoes to Street BeatsUna’s first steps into a dance class came at five, when her mother, tired of watching her spin around the living room, signed her up for lessons. Ballet and contemporary dance came first. “I actually didn’t like the girly stuff,” she recalled with a laugh. “I resisted it a bit.”Everything changed at eight, when her mother stumbled across a video from a street dance studio in Taiwan and took her to try a class. From that day on, she never looked back.Her first teacher was famously strict. “If you danced badly, you’d be yelled at, even kicked out of class,” Una said. Harsh as it was, the training drilled discipline into her from the start. “He never treated us like kids, but as dancers. It forced us to meet adult standards, even when we wanted to slack off.”A Crew That Grew TogetherDance, for Una, has never been a solitary pursuit. The crew she joined at eight has been with her for a decade now. Together, they’ve practiced, argued, reconciled, and celebrated victories. Recently, she flew back to Taiwan to mark the group’s 10-year anniversary. “We’re basically childhood friends,” she said. “We’ve grown up dancing side by side.”The crew taught her resilience. “Training alone can feel exhausting. But when everyone is pushing each other, it gives you momentum,” she explained. For her, the team has always been more than medals—it’s a reason to keep going.Balancing Books and the Dance FloorLike many students in Taiwan, Una grew up under heavy academic pressure. At times, she wondered if she’d have to give one up—dance or school. “Sometimes I felt so tired I thought, maybe I should just pick one. But I couldn’t let either go.” Her compromise was to scale back training during exams, but never to cut it off entirely. Even if she could only make it to the studio once a week, she insisted on keeping the connection alive.The journey hasn’t been without setbacks. At 11, intensive training left her with a fractured kneecap, forcing her to pause for the first time. It made her ask: what if one day I can’t dance anymore? Now, as a high school senior, she plans to apply to college as a pre-veterinary student. “Dance is my passion, but vet could be another path. I want to give myself both options.”A New Chapter in New YorkLast year, Una moved to New York with her family. At first, the transition was daunting—language barriers, few friends, and the pressure of joining a new crew. But once again, dance opened the door. She joined the renowned Brickhouse dance crew, where the talent around her kept her on her toes. “They’re so strong. I can’t afford to fall behind,” she said. In just a year, her skills and her confidence have sharpened dramatically.Her hard work is paying off. She has already begun making her mark on the U.S. competition circuit, winning her first championship at Monster Camp in New Jersey. “When my teammates shouted my name from the audience, it meant the world,” she said. “It was a real milestone.”Only the BeginningUna knows the path of a dancer is uncertain, that life is always more complicated than the stage. And she’s well aware that true artistry isn’t just clean moves, but the ability to dance with the weight of lived experience.Her own style is taking shape, but she’s quick to admit she sometimes feels boxed in. “Sometimes I think I’m always moving within the same frame. I need to break it apart and rebuild.” For her, dance is a constant cycle of tearing down and starting anew.Looking ahead, she dreams of testing herself on a world stage—whether at Red Bull or Summer Dance. “I feel like it’s something I have to do at least once in my life.”This is the story of a 17-year-old dancer: balancing books and dance, forged in discipline yet lifted by community, finding her footing in a new country while keeping her passion steady. For Una, the journey has only just begun.🔗 Follow* ins @okok_uuuna This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thetrygirl.substack.com