Dear Out of His Mind,

I still remember the first dance classes you gave me. I remember gazing at the murals and paintings of dancers while I put my ballet shoes on. I would twirl and play with my ballet skirt in front of the mirror in the studio and dream of the dancer that I would be when I grow up. My friends and I would watch the "older girls" during their classes, and as the years went by we grew up to be them. We looked at the photo albums of old recital pictures and wondered how the time went by so fast.

Since kindergarten I spent most of my life within the four walls of the dance studio. The mirror saw my smiles when I finally got something right, and laughter when I messed up and fell. The barre felt my frustration as I gripped it during a difficult dégagé or développé combination. The floor supported me as I danced through the good days and the bad days. Even the waiting room saw me doing my homework and taking naps between my classes. The studio was always populated with my second family. My teachers and fellow dancers always looked out for each other and supported each other through every class and performance.

Thank you for giving me my second home and my second family. I know that when I come home from college you'll always be there to welcome me home. I hope that someday I can create and inspire dancers the same way you did. Thank you for preparing me for taking the next step in my dance education. The many years of classes you gave me provided a firm foundation that Slippery Rock University's dance department is now building on. Without my teachers, friends, and students from Out of His Mind, I certainly wouldn't be here today. Thank you for teaching me, molding me, and believing in me since I first walked into the studio as a tiny dancer.

Sincerely,

A very gracious dancer