One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.
That rings through my head every day.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.
But an eight count is more than just an eight count in my life. Every step I take, an eight count is there to guide me.
As little girl, I looked up at the stage waiting for the day I could dance my senior solo. I wanted nothing more than to take my final bow. Now, I wish I could go back to that day and relive it a million times. They always say "You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone," and I understand that all too well. I didn’t realize what an impact my studio had in my life until I graduated.
My feet are permanently stuck in a pointe. I stand in first and fifth position and without realizing it. I walk on my tippy toes. I have a dance choreographed in my mind for every song on the radio.
When my parents divorced, change became a constant thing for me. I changed homes, schools, was with one parent one weekend, another parent the next. That is a really hard thing for a seven-year-old to go through. The only thing that stayed constant through my life was dance class. I attended every week, knowing that I would have a family there to welcome me. From the age of 3 to 18 I saw the same people, had the same routine, and grew a little more.
My dance teachers were my family. They were always going to be there. They pushed me. I was a really shy child who barely spoke to anyone, but dance brought me out of my shell. It taught me how to perform in front of people, which helps in social settings. They taught me a smile was a girl’s best feature. I always smile, whether it’s out of habit or not.
They were friends when I didn’t have any. I could always count on them and trust them, no matter what. They saw so much good in me and knew me better than I even knew myself at times. Most importantly, they pushed me to be my best self.
The girls I danced with grew up with me. They were the friends in my earliest memories, and the girls who learned these things with me. Whether it was shaking it to “Nutcase” and perfecting the Tarantella, or taking our final bow as Belle, Snow White, and Cinderella. We were always laughing together and making memories I will always hold in my heart.
They taught me that music is a gift and to appreciate the beat of life and the art that lives all around us. When I see others dance, I see a beautiful story being told. They taught me to dance like no one’s watching. Whether you’re amazing or not, always shake it. Life is too short to not have fun.
There are so many things I could thank my dance teachers for and so many things I haven’t had the chance to. Thank you for always being there. Even as alumni, I know you will always have a place there. Thank you for being my family when I really needed a family. Thank you for teaching me what drive and ambition is. Thank you for teaching me to follow my dreams. Thank you for teaching me structure and to follow directions. Thank you for teaching me about art and creativity. Thank you to the girls I graduated with for sharing this bond with me and always being my friends. You were like sisters to me and I couldn’t imagine being princesses with anyone else.
Dance was more than tap, jazz, ballet, and hip hop. It was about so much more. Every action in my life will be a constant eight count, but that's alright, because I know that every action I take will be to make me a better person.
