Every dancer remembers when they were finally old enough to put on their first pair of ballet shoes and brightly colored dance skirts to properly prepare for their first day of ballet class. It's a pivotal moment in a dancer's life taking these fundamental steps into becoming a beautiful ballerina or an amazing modern dancer. But there is something deeper involved when taking these first steps: the relationship you create with your new dance teachers.
Dance teachers have the same responsibilities as any other educational professional; they have to teach basic principles to create a foundation to allow them to flourish in their passions and their future careers. However, dance teachers, in my opinion, not only create educational relationships with their students, but also create an almost familial sense with them. They work so hard and dedicate all their time to help their students grow into amazing dancers and excellent people from as young as age 3 and up, until they graduate high school.
Coming from a former dancer who has been raised by the same group of amazing teachers for almost 16 years, I am so appreciative for all the things my teachers have done for me and know that all dancers are grateful for how amazing dance teachers truly are.
Being locked in a tiny, sweaty room full of obnoxious children and teenagers for hours at a time isn't the ideal educational situation for any teacher. Since dance students have grown up together and made amazing bonds with one another, we all love to talk in class and just goof off by practicing our scorpions or seeing how many pirouettes we can do. Although we students are having a blast, the teachers are probably having a debate in their head arguing which child they should murder first (kidding). However, they give us a smile and still try to teach us as we begin to slowly see the patience fade away from their eyes, and they continuously deal with these tortuous hours every week.
Dance teachers would always keep us on our toes―literally. With all the hard center combinations and literal "tap tests" administered in class, we always had to be mentally present in everything that we had to do in class, and memorization was always key in class and on stage. This required use of brain power allowed us to expand our minds outside of the classroom and kept them engaged, which would also help us with our grades in school.
One of my most favorite aspects of dance teachers, however, is their undeniable will to help their students, whether it be with matters inside or outside the classroom. From summer intensive auditions to deciding which colleges to go to whether or not we were deciding to pursue dance, my dance teachers always had a good word of advice and always supported me regardless of my decisions. I always was questioning what I wanted to do in college, whether to pursue dance or something else. They always reassured me that no matter what I decided to pursue, I would excel to the fullest extent, and they'd always be there to support me, just like a parental figure would.
Dance teachers have proven to be more than just instructors. They see you grow and progress into young adults just as parents would. They have taught us dancers so many things throughout the years, and they will always hold a special place in our hearts forever.
