"Dreaming Beyond Your Imagination" "To tap dance is to be powerful. Tap has given me self esteem and confidence. It has taught me the value of persistence and hard work and how to be eloquently spontaneous". This is a direct quote from my good friend Maud Arnold who has been tap dancing her whole life. The elation I feel when I watch childhood friends being abundantly successful with their craft is indescribable. That might be a hard to understand for some but for those who can relate know what joy I am referring to. Being able to establish and sustain long-lasting relationships is easier said than done. Pictured here is my friend Maud Arnold. We've been homies since the 7th grade. Although we went to different high schools and colleges we remained friends through the conduit which is social media. And at various functions around the city in our young adult-hood, we'd see each other and greet one another with an abundance of love. Maud, ever since I can remember has been tap dancing as if she was the daughter of the late great Gregory Hines. She was literally the ONLY person during my adolescence who I knew personally who tapped. Up until that point from my point-of-view it felt like tap was a lost art form. Slowly depleting in relevance and popularity. That couldn't be more further from the truth if I were to ask Maud her opinion on the state of tap dance. She developed a love for the dance through her older sister Chloé whom she watched growing up dance her heart out for various auditions around the DC metropolitan area. The two sisters managed to build a brand inspired by their love of tap that helped climax the awareness of the craft thoughout the U.S. and even more around the world. Helping to educate and inspire dancers you and old all over the globe. One of their projects, DC Tap Fest which has been running seven years strong has catapulted many careers of some of the hottest up and coming tap stars which includes Tony, Emmy & Grammy awardees. More recently they've produced a feature-length documentary called Tap World, an inside look at the variety of kids, adults and elderly folk who have been inspired to tap in a variety of different techniques all over the world. Whenever Maud sees me it's love. She always wears the hugest smile when she sees me and always greets me with a warm hug. Chloe and Maud have stayed true to their roots and remain humble with all of their continued success. It is an honor to call them both friends and witness their persistent climb up their hill of adversity towards success. MAUD OUTFIT Jumpsuit | H&M Shoes | Jessica Simpson Necklace | Tiffany & Co. Photo Source | ClothesM1ndeD