Discovering the language of dance: Olivia Taylor finds her voice

NEWBURGH, Ind. (WFIE) - Becoming a dancer is the dream for many young girls, but for Castle High School senior Olivia Taylor, she made dance her way of life.

“I kind of knew this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life when I was very young,” Taylor said. “My mom was like, ‘Are you sure this is what you want to do?’ I was 4 years old, 5, and I was like ‘I’m a dancer.’”

Taylor began competing for Thrive Dance Company, as a shy 5-year-old under Yvette Walts and Molly Rode.

“I even told her I would bribe her if she got in trouble at school for talking,” Thrive Dance Company co-owner, Rode said.

“From someone who would not say anything, dance has really brought out such an amazing, confident, wonderful young lady,” Thrive Dance Company co-owner, Walts said.

Taylor speaks the language of dance.

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“Dance kind of gave me this voice,” Taylor said. “Being able to express my thoughts and feelings through movement has made me a such bigger, outgoing person.”

Once she started competing, there was no looking back for Taylor or her family.

“I tell you it has been a journey in more ways than one,” Olivia’s mom, Erika said. “Dance has taken us literally all over the world. When she took her first dance class at age two, I never could have imagined what was going to come ahead for us.”

After winning multiple regional and national awards, Taylor was given the opportunity to join Team USA and compete in the World Dance Championships in Poland.

She competed in Poland for three years and won a gold medal in her final year.

“The furthest dance has taken me is Poland,” Taylor said. “We all technically spoke the same language through dance, and that was so cool to get to experience that with all these people around the world.”

Things weren’t always easy. It was Taylor’s relentless work ethic that made her who she is: a rising talent.

She has a social media following of close to 50,000.

“It’s crazy trying to juggle all of this, maintain my grades at school, and have a whole other life outside of school,” Taylor said. “I go straight to the studio, I’m there for about 5 hours, and then I come home and do my homework.”

“It became senior year and it was like that chapter’s closed, we’re moving on to the next thing, now it’s time to talk about what do you do after high school?” Erika Taylor said.

Olivia began exploring Bachelor of Fine Arts programs, then during the recruitment process her eyes dialed into joining a team. Even though she received multiple offers, her focus was on the nationally recognized Ohio State University dance team.

For the past seven years, The Ohio State Dance Team has placed in the Top 5 at the UDA Collegiate National Championship.

“My second visit, it was my recruit weekend for the dance team, I got to go watch a football game and get a day in the life of what it was like to be on the dance team on game day, and then I got to dance with them,” Taylor said. “Only my second time being there, but I fell in love with the campus and the girls.”

Walts and Rode surprised Taylor at practice with a video of The Ohio State University Dance Team’s coach offering Taylor a spot on the team..

“She’s not a very emotional person, at least not outwardly, and she got emotional, so we knew that it meant a lot to her,” Rode said.

“As my coach says, ‘go the extra mile because it’s never crowded,’ I live by that,” Taylor said. “I’m so incredibly happy that I’m going to a Division I school, dancing on The Ohio State Dance Team.”

An inspiration to girls everywhere, Taylor leaves the Tri-State with more skills than one.

“Dance 100% has instilled so much more than just dance,” Rode said. “It’s taught them to be confident, to use their voice. We love it when our kids go on to dance, but more importantly we’re proud of what we try to raise these kids to be.”

Taylor will officially sign her letter of intent at the Castle High School signing day in April.