Thanks to popular television shows like "Dance Moms" and "So You Think You Can Dance," the world of competitive dance is booming. Children as young as three years old are competing on stages far and wide, and every studio is hungry for the Super-Ultimate-Diamond-Platinum-Extreme award. While times have certainly changed since I was growing up on the competition scene, there are some things that every dancer will be able to relate to.
1. You are highly skilled in the areas of hair and makeup.
After years of practice, you've been able to apply fake eyelashes with ease and have mastered the technique of making the perfect bun. You could probably put on your lipstick with your eyes closed, too.
2. You might as well get a tattoo of "I can't, I have dance" across your forehead.
This one is without a doubt the most relatable. You find yourself repeating this at least five times a day (sometimes more). And to be honest, your friends are as tired of hearing the excuse as you are of saying it.
3. You tap dance under your desk at school.
As you sit in class bored to death, there is no better time to run through your tap routine in your head. Your teachers and classmates notice your tapping feet and give you the side eye hoping that you will just. sit. still.
4. Ice, heating pads, and Advil are your best friends.
Being a dancer, you are basically a walking disaster. You are always covered in bright purple bruises, floor burns and blisters. Going home to ice your back after a long night of rehearsal is pure bliss, so you never take it for granted.
5. Your dance studio is your second home.
The majority of your life is spent at the studio, so it is natural that you feel so comfortable there. Odds are, you likely eat at least one meal a day, finish all of your homework and have a phone charger or two stashed away there.
6. You can successfully pack for a long weekend of competition in minutes.
After years of practice, you've gotten packing down to a science. You are able to run through your mental checklist of all tights, shoes, costumes, accessories and comfy clothes in an instant.
7. You cringe when you open up your dance bag.
Between the disorganization of everything jammed inside and the awful stench of your dance shoes, opening up that bag causes you a great deal of stress.
8. You can't contain your excitement when your dance teacher decides to run solos during technique class.
When you are completely drained from a long week and are feeling overwhelmed with schoolwork, you pray that your teacher will break this fantastic news. And the moment she does, your thank fate for being on your side that day.
9. Your skin is thicker than most.
Between the critiques from competition judges and the constant corrections from your teachers, you have learned to take criticism exceptionally well. You've developed a thick skin and shake off negative comments. Non-dancers wouldn't stand a chance against some of the nasty things you've heard throughout your career.
10. Your dance family is your everything.
Even on days when you would rather do anything else but go to dance class, your teammates make it bearable. You spend hours each week together in tight spaces and never seem to get sick of each other. Competition weekends are 100,000 times more fun when you're together and recital weekends are filled with nothing but laughter. They have seen you at your best and share in all of the excitement in your life. They've also seen you at your worst and have been your support system when your life was falling apart. Through it all, you have created an unbreakable bond that will last a lifetime. You are a family. And you wouldn't be the person you are today without your "people."
