Dancer Waiting To Take Flight: A Story of Change

Far from her art representing a dreary scene, Kaila tells her art therapist she actually enjoys the rain. PHOTO CREDIT: THE RED PENCIL (SINGAPORE)

By The Red Pencil (Singapore)
03 Jun 2025 5:35pm

A torrent pours over the figure of a dancer dressed in purple—her face obscured, her arms poised mid-leap, frozen as she was on the page she was drawn on.

In the quiet calm of the art therapy centre, 18-year-old Kaila* colours the rain grey.

From the first sessions, Kaila approached art-making with receptiveness, asking to explore different mediums albeit in a guided manner. Her hands were jittery, her speech rapid—yet she was never hesitant to share.

As the sessions progressed, Kaila became more and more open in her art expression, often creating pieces so detailed she runs out of time to complete them. In one piece, a dancer is surrounded by heavy rain—a sad and stressed dancer, Kaila said—grey obscuring her face in a seeming attempt to avoid drawing the emotion on it. Far from being a dreary scene however, Kaila told her art therapist that she enjoys the rain.

“The rain is washing away the dancer’s sadness,” she explained.

Kaila’s turning point came when her therapist noticed how Kaila often took on the emotional needs of those around her, particularly those of her family members. Initially confused, Kaila later revealed that she had carried that knowledge all along, but it was the first time she had heard it spoken aloud. Laughter and tears washed over her face as she shared that acknowledging it made her feel sad.

Parentification remains a prevalent issue in Singapore, especially among eldest and only children in families. PHOTO CREDIT: PREEYAPORN LEEKIATANAN

Kaila’s story reflects a reality many children in Singapore face—parentification, where a child steps into an adult role at home. It remains a prevalent issue here at home, especially among eldest and only children in families. Many times, it can take a toll on identity and emotional development.

Creative arts therapy can be a valuable tool in addressing such situations as it can help both the parent and child process their emotions and improve communications. By engaging in creative activities, they can explore their experiences in a non-verbal way, leading to greater self-awareness and improved relationship dynamics.

Through creative arts therapy, Kaila began to unpack her burden. Art gave her a way to express what was hard to say, to explore her emotions safely, and most importantly, to ask for support—for the first time.

Now in her second cycle of art therapy, Kaila is discovering a new way of being. She is reframing old beliefs, processing old wounds, and learning who she is.

Her journey isn’t over. But with every brushstroke, she’s finding her rhythm. And like the dancer in the rain, she is readying to leap—no longer frozen on the page, but learning to take flight.

Read Kaila’s full story in our 2024 Annual Report.

Kaila is an 18-year-old girl who, upon initial observation, appears anxious and disconnected from herself and her emotions. She exhibits low self-confidence and believes she is trapped in a cycle of negative events.

Despite these challenges, she demonstrates an awareness of her difficulties. Her recounting of memories can be fragmented, possibly due to early childhood experiences that may have resulted in trauma.