![\"Andrij](\"https:\/\/supplychainstrategynow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Andrij-AJ-Deneka.-Photo-courtesy-of-Deneka-2..jpg\")
Photo courtesy of Deneka.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cFrom my past experience, when I wasn\u2019t being my true authentic self, those moments weren\u2019t as fulfilling. When I stayed true to who I am is when I felt better about myself and my accomplishments,\u201d Deneka reveals. \u201cWe\u2019re always going to have those moments when we feel like we didn\u2019t fully embrace who we were, but recognizing it and having that understanding is part of the process.\u201d<\/p>\n
Deneka is currently a resident teacher at dance studios in Buffalo, guest choreographs for several studios throughout the United States, and is a judge for Spotlight Dance Cup and Thunderstruck Dance Competition. For several years, he noticed himself using the phrase\u00a0Embrace What Makes You UNIQUE\u00a0<\/em>with his students, or using it as a special award at competitions. The phrase originally came to mind after he listened to a speech by one of his favorite artists, Janelle Mon\u00e1e.<\/p>\n \u201cOne year, I choreographed an opening number and made all of the kids in the routine a pin that said\u00a0Embrace What Makes You UNIQUE<\/em>,\u201d Deneka recalls. \u201cThe studio owner encouraged me to make shirts or clothing with the phrase on it and said she would buy it.\u201d<\/p>\n In September 2019, Deneka, who also studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC, took her advice and launched his own fashion line, putting his token phrase on t-shirts, long sleeve shirts and hoodies. It wasn\u2019t long before people were asking for more products, including tank tops, joggers, sweat pants, pop sockets, lawn signs and bumper stickers.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, it turned into a business, but it\u2019s more than that to me,\u201d Deneka says. \u201cWhat excites me is the movement aspect of it. It\u2019s something I truly do believe in.\u201d<\/p>\n Although growing up he felt he had a great support system of people who encouraged him to be whoever and whatever he wanted to be, Deneka felt he lacked confidence and wish he embraced his own uniqueness sooner in life. \u201cI feel like with teaching, it\u2019s important for me to remind kids to be who they are, not who they think society wants them to be, because it\u2019s not always something I did myself. I was confident to a certain extent, but it didn\u2019t click fully until after I left L.A.\u201d<\/p>\n By using the phrase in class, he feels his students have realized that by being themselves, it will help them shine at their brightest potential. \u201cThere are so many talented individuals in the world, and when you\u2019re not truly yourself, you\u2019re just another number,\u201d Deneka says. \u201cWhen the phrase clicks with the kids, I noticed it gives them pride for who they are, not just as dancers but as individuals. It strengthens their everyday lives.\u201d<\/p>\n As he travels for teaching and judging, he sees many students afraid to be who they want to be. \u201cRegardless of age, sex, race, political beliefs, we are all different\u2026and that\u2019s the point! People all over the world are being ostracized for the way they were born or for what their religion is. I luckily was brought up in a family and a studio with pretty awesome people, but not everybody has that. I feel like\u00a0Embrace What Makes You UNIQUE\u00a0<\/em>is broad enough that everyone can relate to and hope it inspires my students, or people in general, who are struggling.\u201d<\/p>\n Recently, Deneka was inspired watching a woman accept an award who discussed how we are all made up of different cells and how it is a scientific fact that we are all different and that\u2019s how we were put onto this earth. It inspired the second phase of his line that he calls\u00a0Moleculary UNIQUE<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u201cReminding \u2018ourcellves\u2019 of the intrinsic beauty of our bodies highlights the blend of sameness and diversity that comprises each of us,\u201d Deneka posted to social media when he released his new products. \u201cSo often we reduce someone to one thing. We reduce someone to a stereotype, an object, their race, their gender\u2026but we\u2019re not one thing. We\u2019re many trillions of things. So, next time you want to pay someone special a compliment, just tell them, according to science, you are a magnificent molecular masterpiece.\u201d<\/p>\n As you take on 2021, find your confidence, tune into your individuality, and nourish your soul to its fullest potential. Individuality never goes out of style. and you are a magnificent molecular masterpiece.<\/p>\n It\u2019s time to\u00a0Embrace What Makes You UNIQUE<\/em>.<\/p>\n To learn more about the movement, follow @embracewhatmakesyouunique<\/a> on Instagram.<\/em><\/p>\n By Lauren Kirchmyer of Dance Informa.<\/a> <\/p>\n The post \u2018Embrace What Makes You UNIQUE\u2019 in 2021<\/a> appeared first on Dance Informa Magazine<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What makes you unique? Is it a special talent of yours? Your look? Your personality? \u201cThe world is so judgmental, and we all feel a pressure to fit into a mold,\u201d shares Andrij \u201cAJ\u201d Deneka. \u201cWhen you can showcase your individuality, it helps you stand out among others. It\u2019s refreshing.\u201d Deneka is the founder of\u00a0Embrace […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":787,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[15],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/supplychainstrategynow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/784"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/supplychainstrategynow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/supplychainstrategynow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/supplychainstrategynow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/supplychainstrategynow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=784"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/supplychainstrategynow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/784\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":791,"href":"https:\/\/supplychainstrategynow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/784\/revisions\/791"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/supplychainstrategynow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/787"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/supplychainstrategynow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=784"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/supplychainstrategynow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=784"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/supplychainstrategynow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=784"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Andrij](\"https:\/\/supplychainstrategynow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Andrij-AJ-Deneka-hopes-to-inspire-children-like-Camryn-Hogate-pictured-to-grow-up-to-be-their-authentic-self.-Photo-courtesy-of-Deneka..jpg\")
hopes to inspire children
like Camryn Hogate (pictured)
to grow up to be
their authentic self.
Photo courtesy of Deneka.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n