OK, so chances are if you’re reading this, you, your best friend, sister, or roommate was, or still is, a dancer. We all know the common misconceptions that come along with it, but hey, we all know it is a love/hate relationship. Let’s be real -- there are certain characteristics that set dancers apart from all others (Think "Dance Moms" everyone -- my guilty pleasure!).
1. Your body cracks in all spots, at any given time (still).
So I stopped dancing before my senior year of high school. I have one scenario, from a certain set of stretches, that make my hip bone crack on a daily basis, mostly when I bend down. #awkward
2. You automatically think of choreography to good songs and sometimes do it, even in a grocery store aisle.
Guilty as charged with this one. Step ball change anyone? Of course! Down the coffee aisle! Well, now I have to refrain from dancing while I’m driving and listening to the radio! Safety first people!
3. You have a box full of costumes!
I have a huge storage container filled with all of my costumes: from my first ever costume from when I was three to my last recital costumes. I think I created like ten Halloween costumes out of old dance costumes. I’m not the only one, right?!
4. Speaking of costumes, you’ve had your fair share of ugly ones!
Think plaid skirts, feathers, unflattering baby food green colored or white spandex pants. No. Just no.
5. “Dance is not a sport.”
Stop talking now! We all have to work together to look like a cohesive group (a.k.a, teamwork). It takes a lot of skill and determination. Need I say more?
6. When you are required to stretch in gym class at school, people gawk at you.
OMG is she a contortionist? No, I just had to do wall splits and stretch on the regular for like ten years. I’m a pro now.
7. You had a drawer specifically for dance.
Like for all of your tights. Nude, pink, footed, footless, stirrup. And your ballet skirts. And your leotards. The black ones. The pink ones. The colored ones. The short sleeved ones. The endless supply of shorts. Need I say more?
8. You can literally change in the blink of an eye!
We all know the pressure of changing our whole ensemble with only one or two songs in between. Obviously, we can still change ultra-quick now. It’s in our blood at this point.
9. You and your younger family members always came up with dances for holidays.
Guilty again! My cousin and I would choreograph dance numbers to perform at holidays dependent on the occasion. Well, I would choreograph them and then force, I mean persuade, her to perform. Oh boy, I’m embarrassed just thinking about all the skipping and twirling!
10. You got super excited to wear makeup even if you were 5.
We all know that the red lipstick and glittery eye shadow was “just stage makeup," but we all know we wanted to wear that on a daily basis. However, dance gave us an excuse to look like we stepped out of Sephora even if we were in first grade.
11. 5, 6, 7, 8.
I think we all know what that means. Get ready to start dancing. Any non-dancer would look at you with like you had ten heads if you said that to them!
12. Hairspray and bobby pins were your BFFs.
Let’s be real - we always had to buy more bobby pins because they would always miraculously disappear. Actually, on second thought, they were probably all at the bottom of your dance bag.
13. “OK, try that again.”
No! Every dancer’s least favorite words! We know that there are two minutes left in class and we’re going to have to run the number at least three more times until we stop messing up that one sequence.
14. Dance friends are like no other!
You may have gone to school with these girls for years or met through the studio, but dance friends are awesome! Always able to tell each other funny stories, get in a good laugh and hand you your water bottle when you are about to plotz!
Being a dancer as a child means you will have more confidence to strut your stuff or talk in front of large crowds. Skills learned in dance class will follow you throughout your life. The poise and wise words taught to me by my dance teachers are something I will cherish forever. I wish it was socially acceptable for me to go back to the dance world! OK, if I can’t, I will just live vicariously through "Dance Moms." What about you?
