They say you have to learn to walk … before you can run, but I learned to dance.

For three incredible years, the clubs and stages of Holland, Belgium, Mallorca, Germany, Italy, Istanbul and England were my home. I wasn't "traditionally" trained, but I was trained by the bass, the lights, and the fashion of the high-end club scene. As a dancer, I wasn't just performing; I was learning how to command a room.

Those three years of travel and sweat were my true "stage school." It’s where I lost my stage fright and found my confidence. Every major event and raw-fashion club prepared me for the global stages that were yet to come. These photos represent the spark before the flame … the era that turned a dancer into a performer. ‘‘I had a glorious time.’’