MAMA FEATURE : HANNAH + WILLA

Jul 20

Written By Kate Ruggiero

THIS MONTHS MAMA FEATURE IS LA BASED DANCER, HANNAH DOUGLASS SECORE, @HANNAHDLAINE

MAMA TO SWEET WILLA.

YOU ARE AN INCREDIBLY TALENTED DANCER & TOURED ON AND OFF OVER THE LAST 13 YEARS WITH BEYONCE….TALK A BIT ABOUT THAT TRANSITION FROM TOURING AS A DANCER TO BECOMING A MOM

THE TRANSITION FROM TOURING TO BECOMING A MAMA FELT REALLY NATURAL BECAUSE MY HUSBAND AND I HAD BEEN READY TO START A FAMILY FOR AWHILE. AFTER 13 YEARS OF TOURING, I WAS FEELING SO MUCH PRIDE AND INVESTMENT IN THE YOUNGER DANCERS AND THEIR JOURNEYS ON THE ROAD AND FEELING LESS LIKE IT WAS ABOUT ME, WHICH WAS A REALLY NICE SHIFT.

SETTLING DOWN IN ONE PLACE TO HAVE A BABY FELT LIKE AN ORGANIC AND EXCITING NEXT STEP IN OUR TIMELINE. I’VE ALSO MANAGED TO CONTINUE DANCING AND CHOREOGRAPHING QUITE A BIT THROUGH MY PREGNANCY & INTO MOTHERHOOD, SO THE TRANSITION DIDN’T FEEL LIKE AN ABRUPT IDENTITY SHIFT.

I’M SO GRATEFUL FOR THE HELP OF MY HUSBAND AND OUR FAMILIES. IT CERTAINLY TAKES A VILLAGE!

WILLA IS THE GREATEST THING EVER AND SHE’S TURNED OUR WORLD UPSIDE DOWN IN THE BEST WAY. I’M DEFINITELY STILL NAVIGATING BEING A FREELANCE WORKING MAMA ONE DAY AT A TIME.

HOW DID YOU FIRST GET INTO DANCE & HOW HAS YOUR CREATIVE EXPRESSION TRANSFORMED OVER THE YEARS

MY OUTLET FOR CREATIVE EXPRESSION USED TO BE DANCE AND ONLY DANCE. I WAS INCREDIBLY SHY GROWING UP AND DANCE IS WHERE I FOUND MY VOICE & CONFIDENCE. IT’S BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF MY LIFE SINCE I WAS 3 YEARS OLD.

NOW IT’S EVOLVED INTO CREATING, CHOREOGRAPHING, TEACHING MOVEMENT & DIRECTING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THINGS. IT’S NOW MORE ABOUT CREATING MOVEMENT AND ENVIRONMENTS WHERE OTHERS CAN SHINE, INCLUDING MY DAUGHTER.

IT’S BEEN FUN, GETTING CREATIVE WITH WILLA IN OTHER AVENUES TOO. SHE LOVES TO PAINT, DRAW, BUILD & MAKE MESSES AND IT FEELS NEW AND EXCITING FOR ALL OF US!

SHE ALSO LOVES TO DANCE SO WE HAVE ALOT OF TODDLER DANCE PARTIES THESE DAYS.

I DON’T THINK DANCE WILL EVER LEAVE MY STORY, EVEN IF THE CONTEXT KEEPS SHIFTING.