Everyone has that go-to place. That kind of get-a-way where everything just seems right. Well, for me, I'd say that was always my dance studio. One of the hardest parts of graduating was leaving this place behind. Now, moving into my future, there are countless reasons I need to thank this place for the legacy it has left on my life.

1. The friendships I have made

Well, this one is a given. As any dancer would know, you probably see your dance friends more than your own family (and that's okay). You won't complain because you love these people! When you come back from college, seeing them is as if you never left. You stay close with these girls forever, you grew up with them.

2. The teachers & their never ending support

Every year, you notice growth. Where did that come from? The countless and sweaty hours at the studio were spent with such inspiring and professional teachers. You can't thank these people enough, you are the dancer you are because of them. Just think about how many hours, the hard work, and stress they put in just to make your talents shine!

3. Teaching me about discipline

Now, no one ever said dance is EASY, except maybe some guys that think they're so tough and sporty. It's for sure one of those things you need to work for 110%. Dance has helped me create goals & achieve them. You want that front line? You gotta work for it! You want that part? You sure as hell gotta work for that too! Especially for competitive dancers, we know the feeling of joy we get after scoring well at competitions.

3. Keeping me busy & away from life's problems

As we all know, life is not easy. That's why going to dance always made it seem so simple. You took a few hours out of your day to do something for you. That's why dance is such a gift. Not only are you being physically active, you're also dancing your thoughts and emotions out. It gave you time away from reality; to just do your own thing & express who you are. Even if it was just sitting in the hallway with your friends waiting for your next class. That was where some of the best memories were made!

4. Knowing how to master a bun or makeup at such a young age

Well hopefully, you didn't try to do your own makeup for picture day at dance like myself at 8 years old - you could just imagine how those close up pictures looked, and yes, my mom still put them around my house. Of course we look at our first attempt at doing makeup or hair on our own like this; but if you think about it, you had a lot of knowledge with makeup by at least middle school. After gluing your eye shut 20 times, you finally learned how to put your fake eyelashes on correctly. You also had to do a bun everyday so by a certain point, you were a master. Then, when you see a non-dancer do a "bun" you cringe a little and contemplate on giving them a bun lesson yourself.

5. My playlist

"You have such a variety of music on your phone." ..Yeah, I know. You go from hip-hop, to Beyonce, to your lyrical song from last year, to musicals/Broadway shows, and then even sometimes ballet music. Plus you probably just added 3 more songs to your playlist just from your jazz warm up. So thank you to my teachers and my friends for their awesome taste in music. And don't get me started on the song that you absolutely loved until you heard it too many times at competition. Every dancer knows the "uh-oh this song seems like a good song to choreograph to, we'll probably see 200 dances to this song at competition," kinda thought.

6. Thanks for keeping my priorities en pointe (literally)

Here's a metaphor to represent my whole life. We've all been here.

Somehow, you managed dancing every night, keeping some what of a social life, your AP classes GPA's high, and you still managed to sleep a few hours a night. Dance has helped me develop the wonderful idea of "planning ahead." It kept me organized, ready to jump into whatever opportunity comes my way, and to pick myself up when any obstacles occurred, even if they were academic or life lessons, not even involving dance. Dance was always there when I needed someone to turn to and when my priorities were all out of whack.

7. Nationals, Competitions, Dancing at Fairs, Sports Events, and THE NUTCRACKER!!!!

This is probably the coolest part about being a dancer. Little does the audience know, your whole knee is bruised by doing this one section numerous times in the classroom, but you suck it up after a while... especially when it's time to perform. Dance is TOUGH, and being able to show audiences and loved ones all that you have learned and done makes you feel a certain way. It's like, "ha look at me, this was what I was doing when I was not home for 7 hours yesterday." Your studio also taught you the proper way of preparing for the holidays each year, by performing in The Nutcracker!! You get excited for Christmas way before anyone because you start your rehearsals in the summer. You basically have visions of sugar plums dancing along the beach while you're tanning. So thank you to my studio for giving me that opportunity to share the art I love with audiences!

8. How to get dressed in 30 seconds (i'm not kidding, we've counted)

We all have that one quick or maybe even backstage change of terror. (A special thanks to Miss Vanessa, never forget that time I was so determined to go on stage with two feet in one leotard hole). Your friends wanna go get lunch so you respond, "just give me 5 minutes ill just throw on some makeup and get dressed." "It's only gonna take you 5 minutes?" Thanks to dance, yes! Dance has taught me to change hair, makeup, costume, tights, and even shoes in the amount of time it takes for someone to take their hair out (crazy, I know).

9. Giving me some of the best memories of my entire life

Dance kinda just becomes that thing that you were always doing. You have stories to tell from it, and when you tell your non-dancer friends they don't even know what you're talking about. The memories you made on stage, in the classroom, or even in the dressing room with the greatest people will always make you smile. Especially the memories where you have felt success and the whole audience was applauding for either you or teammates. Those are some of the best memories.

10. Showing me who I am and want to be

I am a dancer, and that is what I will always be. Because of my studio, I can't have a life without dance. And, I thank my studio for that. Thanks to my studio for showing me that I need dance to truly be myself and to be happy. If it wasn't for my studio, where I grew into the dancer I am and want to be, I would have never felt true happiness. It introduced me to dance and how much of a gift it is to be able to do. Because of my studio, I am aware that dance is my passion and where I feel at HOME.