Thursday, August 3rd.

That was the day that I walked out of those studio doors for the last time. I was honestly in shock as dance has been everything to me for the last 14 years. Safe to say, I was extremely emotional as I said my goodbyes that evening. That studio has brought me so much joy and so much pain (in the best way). One of the hardest goodbyes I had to say was to my ballet teacher, Ms. Joni. Some of my fondest memories at the studio were in ballet classes with her. She has changed the way I see ballet and has even inspired me to continue taking classes at the collegiate level.

Some of my favorite experiences that came from the studio actually happened outside of it. My teacher, Morgan, was able to take a group of us to LA to dance. I have never been happier than when I was on that trip. Luckily, I was blessed with the opportunity to attend four years in a row. This is where I met one of my favorite dance teachers ever, THE Terri Best. She was a soft-spoken woman, yet she brought me out of my shell. She gave me confidence even in a room full of professional dancers. I will always appreciate everything she has taught me in the few classes I was able to take from her.

Another one of the most incredible experiences I had at the studio was the Student Choreography Project. This event has been running for three years and it truly changed how I viewed dance and choreography. I had never really put a piece on stage before with my own dancers, choreography, staging, and costuming. It was incredible to see my piece come to life on stage. This event is something I will never forget and I cannot wait to come back and watch for year four.

As I left the studio, I realized there was so much I had taken away from my time there. I learned that there's always going to be somebody better than you. You can let it defeat you or let it inspire you. I also learned that commitment isn't easy. After 7 hours of school, I would attend two hours of dance team practice at my high school. From there, I would eat dinner in the car as I went straight to the studio. I would dance there until 10 pm and come back home. Then, I could finally start my homework. The saying "Eat, Sleep, Dance, Repeat" is truly no joke. That was my life for a solid four years as I attempted to juggle both studio dance and high school dance team. The final thing that I took away from that studio was to believe in myself. I gained so much confidence while I was there because I found people to lift me up. To those that saw my potential, thank you. You have made all the difference in my life.

As I break off into a new chapter in my life, I know I am prepared because of the character I built at the studio. I would not trade those 14 years for anything.