It's no secret dancers are really cool. On top of our insane flexibility and the emotional and physical demands it takes to be a dancer, we've got a really good head on our shoulders.
If you can still honestly say, after reading these 13 reasons, that you're okay without knowing a couple dancers in your life- then I applaud you. 'Cause I'd like to get to know them all.
1. We're flexible.
Okay, so this one doesn't have much to do with everyday life but come on, it's really cool how we can do things like this:
2. We're hard workers and we know what discipline is.
Calling all employees! Hire a dancer - they don't really understand what "marking it" actually means. They'll do everything full out and to their best potential. 100%, all the time. But it's a little difficult to go a whole day without dancing to blow off some steam, so don't be surprised if you catch something a little like this:
3. We like to entertain.
We know how to put on a good show at any given moment. Granted, we don't typically like when people say, "You're a dancer, show me what you can do!" But take us to a club and chances are we won't say no to dancing with you.
4. We've got a lot of good, dramatic stories.
No, dance is not like dance moms. But yes, I do know some crazy dance parents and some crazy dance kids. You get the weirdest stories from competitions and you'd be surprised. The personal favorite of mine is, "Let me tell you about the time I was at nationals and got a bird stuck in my hair!" Like, how the heck do you get a bird stuck in your hair?
5. We're genuinely fun to be around.
Seriously, we probably will not say no to dancing. And you'll see a lot of interesting things when you're with us. Cause we dance a lot.
6. We're driven.
If they've decided to become a professional dancer then they're going to focus on that goal all the time. They're probably in class, everyday, working their butts off to get to where they want to be. It's literally always in the back of their mind and they're usually pretty good at motivational speeches if you need one. We've got to give it to ourselves every once in a while. (Or like, once a day, but who's counting?)
7. We're passionate.
If the dancer you're around is anything like me, they love passionate people. We're not just "love it" passionate. We're the "blood, sweat, and tears," kind of passionate. Seriously, you could be passionate about computer science - which I know nothing about - and I'll listen to you talk about it for two hours because I like the way people's eyes light up when they're passionate about something. We love what we do - and we love that other people love what they do, too.
8. We're really good role models.
Most of us are, anyway. We're driven and disciplined; which makes us a really good role model for those who are younger and striving to achieve excellence.
9. We can see the world through a thousand different eyes.
Not literally, no. But I've come to find that dancers are more open and understanding to the world around us. The dance world is filled with all sorts of races and sexualities and frankly, we just don't care. It's cool to build relationships with all sorts of people. I mean, think of all the cultural dances that take place, and all the different styles. There are at least a thousand, if not more. You make connections on a really deep level and learn a lot about people.
10. We're fearless, creative, and well-rounded.
Usually you won't just get a "dancer." You'll get a dancer and a painter, or a dancer but I sing a little bit, or a dancer and an actress. We like to try new things and stay way out of our comfort zones. It makes life pretty interesting.
11. We're #relatable.
In all seriousness, this one is a biggie. Usually dancers aren't the best talkers. I know I'm not. That's why we dance, to get across what we want to say. We place what we want to say into our movements and really, it's so beautiful. We have the power to move people to tears, laughter, joy - any emotion under the sun - with movement. If that's not cool, I don't know if anything is really that cool.
12. We're really competitive, but we can handle rejection.
Dance is like a series of "No's." You get a billion. Especially in competition dance, you sit there and listen to someone tell you what's wrong with everything you do and you have to say, "Okay. Let's go work on it." If someone says no, we're pretty good at getting up and trying again.
13. We get it.
And by get it, I mean emotion. Dancers are some of the most emotional people. (I cry probably 3 times a week, maybe more.) Dance is already an emotional sport, but it's difficult to tap into parts of yourself you don't want people to see. Dancers are open and honest. They do something most of the world can't do - show them their hearts and souls.
So there. Dancers get it. They get how to show the world who they really are, even if it's only for a couple minutes on a stage.
I hope you'll take the time to get to know and appreciate the dancers in your life!