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Food Pantries and Soup Kitchens
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Grand Rapids’ Jayla Branch, 10, prepares to throw the basketball while Delta’s DyMond Perry, 10, tries to block. Delta College vs. Grand Rapids Community College basketball game Nov. 12, 2014. (Delta Collegiate/Josephine Norris)
Student uses unique moves to motivate others BbYy GgAaBbRrIiEeLlLlEe MmAaRrTtIiNn SsTtAaFfFf RrEePpOoRrTtEeRr John Morgan Cone, 19, has danced all of his life; but to him, dancing is more than just a hobby. For Cone, a Marketing and Sales major at Delta, it’s something that he feels incredibly passionate about and takes great pride in. “Dad told me when I was little,” says Cone, “that if you want to do amazing things, you gotta learn how to dance.” He says he isn’t sure his dad meant for him to take it quite to the level that he has; but John has developed his own style of dancing that he calls “motivational dancing” and it has become a way for him to connect to the world. “Dancing is my way of communicating myself in a different way. It’s
a way to put away the normalities of life,” Cone says. The climax, as Cone puts it, was at his first motivational dancing performance this past summer at the Bay City fireworks. He took his stereo and just started dancing. Cone says he had many thoughts going through his head when he set the stereo down; however, the decision to not walk away was one of the best decisions of his life. Smiling, Cone says that he had many different reactions from people walking past him – people smiled, stared, took photos or videos, and just watched. It seems fitting that Cone’s first performance of his motivational dancing would be at the Bay City fireworks considering how he describes his dancing. “Sometimes I feel like it’s human fireworks or a human roller coaster.” Fireworks seem like an
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accurate description of John’s spontaneous, energetic, and unpredictable dancing which includes everything from the splits to toe touches to mixed martial arts moves. He is currently working on mastering flips so that he can include those in his repertoire of dance moves as well. Cone dances to various types of music including pop hits, electronic dance music, and indie rock and is thinking about including screamo and country in the future. After his performance at the Bay City fireworks, Cone took his stereo and his dancing to various fairs and festivals in the area. He also performed at the Saginaw Meijer store for Meijer Mania in August. At Meijer Mania, a back-to-school sale for college students, John says that there was a dance floor and a DJ from the 102.5 radio station. During a dance-off, he won five tickets to Cedar Point.
John Cone, 19, shows of his own distinct style of motivational dancing. (Delta Collegiate/Josephine Norris)
On Oct. 18, Cone spoke and performed at a benefit dinner for Michael Stevens, a freshman at Pinconning High School who incurred a spinal cord injury when jumping “What are you thankful into a pool. The fundraiser was to for?” help pay for basic expenses such as a wheelchair and physical therapy. AaNnTtHhOoNnYy SsIiMmMmOoNnSs 19, SsAaGgIiNnAaWw Cone gave students at Delta an impromptu performance on Nov. 4. “I’m thankful for Onlookers had varying reactions to being alive, being the performance. 19, graduating high “The word eclectic comes to school, and doing mind,” says Jacob (Max) Schofield, a something with my Delta College Art student and friend life.” of Cone’s, “Whatever he does is his own style…it makes me want to dance.” AaLlYySsSsAa UuSsEeWwIiCcKk Jennifer Gillings, a Delta stu19, BbAaYy CcIiTtYy dent, was also present when Cone “Thankful for havperformed. ing a job, for edu“That’s like the twelfth time cation, and the opI’ve seen him dancing around camportunities I have, pus,” says Gillings. for the people (who According to Jeanne Tlace, are) close to me Cone’s mom, Cone is always dancing, and help- even if I “He dances around the house condon’t think I want it, but I really do.” stantly- first thing in the morning.” Cone has two prospective events that he is eyeing up to perform LlAaTtOoYyAa RrOoBbYy 31, SsAaGgIiNnAaWw at, both at Delta College. One event is the PBJam in which different student “[I am] thankful organizations on campus sell sandfor good health wiches to students to fundraise. Cone and wealth and life. says that his fellow Honors LeaderLife is awesome ship Board friends would like to see and amazing.” him perform in a sandwich costume. The other is a potential dance on campus. If the school dance goes through, Cone and another student NnAaTtHhAaNn BbEeRrNnTtHhAaLl 18, MmUuNnGgEeRr would have a dance-off and invite students to challenge them. “I am thankful for If you’d like John Cone to my family, because perform at an event or if you want to they support me find out more about him, visit John DQG SURYLGH ÀQDQCone Motivation on Facebook, find cial stability to let him on Twitter @DArealJohnCone, me come here and or follow him on Instagram at kafurther my educaoratke. tion.”