As a doer of all things movement, her body is her instrument.
Kim was diagnosed withguttate psoriasisin 2016.
Its a rare form of the autoimmune disorder that presents as small, drop-shaped lesions.
Photo by Bryan Berrios
In Kims case, those lesions are small, oval-shaped rashes visible all around her torso and arms.
And considering how a dancers attire can include lots of skin on display, theres no hiding them.
For Kim, one impactful misconception she recalls was that her peers believed her psoriasis to be contagious.
Stigmas can make having a common skin condition an isolating experience, even in ones own body.
And while it shouldnt, psoriasiss stigma may potentially elicit a more critical eye from viewers and judges.
Having a performance-based job is stressful enough without having to worry about being misjudged for a common skin condition.
One way Kim found to get ahead of those concerns has been to own her skin on her terms.
It was the first time I publicly announced I have guttate psoriasis.
And I think that was the first time I truly accepted it for myself.
I got tired of hiding not only to the world, but to myself.
That’s when I realized this is my skin, this is my home.
I need to nurture [it], I need to give it love.
It protects us physically, but we can sometimes forget its vulnerabilities to unseen forces, too.
When Im performing, Im reminded that my body is my home.
As a dancer, my body is always at the gaze of someone else, she says.
