I've been a dancer for 14 years. I've heard all of the stereotypes of dancers there are and some of them just aren't completely correct. While some of them are, like getting out of plans because of practice, some of them are totally off track, like saying we are all flexible. In reality not all dancers are equal, we are individuals that share the same passion.

1. So-called "healthy eating"

Dancers tend to be classified as a group of extremely health conscious people that tend to eat right AND exercise regularly. This isn't really true. Typically my friends and I say, "We dance so that we can eat." Dancing long hours every week just balances out our unhealthy eating habits. What can I say; who doesn't love fries?

2. Having a dancer's body

What does having a dancer's body even mean? Like, really? Everyone is different and that's really one of the beautiful things about dance. We all have different assets that we can use to entertain the audience. However, saying that all dancers should have abs, thin arms, and a thigh gap is totally wrong. Body shaming dancers is not okay. Body shaming anyone is not okay.

3. I can't, I have dance

I have pulled this phrase too many times to count. Yes, I have rehearsal on Saturday. No, I cannot just skip it. If I miss a class I'm missing the opportunities to learn and understand choreography. Skipping class is a big deal because most likely they will go on without me and I'll get behind. You never want to be the dancer that goes to a football game during practice and makes everyone look bad.

4. Dance is easy

Dancing most certainly is not easy. If it were easy it would be more common. Dance is a passion of the mind and body working together to create a masterpiece on stage. Remembering to point your feet, get power in your jumps, straighten your legs, show emotion on your face, and remembering what comes next are a complex list of things that as a dancer you need to focus on all within a span of about two seconds. Not only the technical part of dance but the acting that accompanies movement is hard to show while remembering all of the steps you'll have to take.

5. Every dancer is flexible.

No. This is absolutely not true. When someone hears that I'm a dancer and they ask if I can do a split sometimes I ask if they can. Flexibility does not equal a good dancer. A good dancer is one that works hard, has proper technique, and still tells a story with their emotions.

Overall, dancers should not be seen as objects, but they should be seen as individuals. Dancers are individuals with unique stories and talents. To say that every dancer is equal in any way is completely false. Hopefully, society can learn to see dancers as creators and artists rather than holding dancers to a perfect standard.