Being a dancer is part of my self-identity: I've been in a studio since I was 3 years old, and though I've given up my pointe shoes for Laduca's (musical theatre dance shoes), I still train everyday. But even outside the studio, I find my dancer training creeping in to other areas of my life. You can sometimes tell when you're around a dancer even when they're in street clothes-- the posture, the tendency to walk like a duck (or "turned out" in dancer lingo), standing in first position, or always having a bobby pin handy. Other habits include...

1. Going into a full penche to pick things up off the floor.

Squatting is so unnecessary when you can just bend over and feel that great stretch in your hamstrings and the other leg just goes up of its own accord.

2. Turning out when you walk. And workout. And any time ever.

Your feet feel odd in straight parallel.

3. Hearing a song makes remember your old recitals/competition/show routines.

And proceeding to mark the choreography on the spot.

4. You are a master of quick changes.

Getting off work at 11? Running home and being back at the bar by 11:15 is not a problem.

5. Bad hair days can be averted quickly, because you can pull your hair up into a bun in .2 seconds flat.

6. Going to the gym involves stretching (and getting stared at by the guys lifting weights next to you).

7. When you unintentionally do "dancy things" in public without realizing you're doing so, like standing on demi pointe (because it's comfortable) or pirouetting around a store.

8. Did you even go on vacation if you didn't take a stereotypical dance pose picture in at least one photo-worthy spot?

Dancers...our feet are always dancing because they have a life of their own.

And probably always will!