Dance is a wonderful thing. It's a way to exercise, release all the tensions of the week, express yourself, and create new pieces. There's nothing better after a long day than stepping into an empty dance studio with all the space you need to stretch out and move. Whether you're feeling cheerful or melancholy, dancing releases all the natural endorphins in your brain and makes you feel like you are on top of the world. You can blast any piece of music in the studio, and pour your heart out on the floor. No matter how busy life gets, or how far you stray, the love of dance will never fully leave a dancer. Dancers are forever dancers.
What people don't know is that dancers tend to think and do daily things a little bit differently. Even if they don't dance every day anymore, there are things that will always cross their mind.
1. Hearing a song and thinking: "This would make a great (lyrical, contemporary, jazz funk, etc.) solo!"
You know you've been in the car listening to Pandora or the radio and have imagined yourself doing a solo to the song you're listening to.
2. Hearing a song and thinking: "I've done a combo to this!
Chances are that a song will pop up that you have most definitely danced to once or twice. Naturally, your muscle memory kicks in and you start reliving the dance you did two or three years ago.
3. Counting in intervals of 5, 6, 7, 8.
When you're taking a picture of someone and say "5, 6, 7, 8," before you snap the photo, just to make sure they're ready.
4. Getting asked: "So are you a ballerina?"
No ma'am or sir, there are other styles of dance other than ballet. I wish I was a ballerina, though.
5. Getting asked: "So since you're a dancer, that must mean you're really flexible, right?"
I mean, I guess...
6. Walking with your feet turned out.
After all those years of training, you just can't bear to walk like a normal person. You are always keeping those feet turned out.
7. Shoulders back, chest up.
Being a dancer, you can't slouch. Slouching isn't even in your vocabulary. People may say you walk weird or look overly-confident when you walk, but hey, you can't just stop having good posture after all that time of performing and taking classes.
8. Doing turns in Walmart or Target.
The floor is perfect for turning, no matter what shoes you may be wearing at the time of your shopping expedition.
9. Stretching the arches of your feet while sitting at a desk or table.
Why be bored, when you can be stretching out your feet under the desk during class or work?
10. Trying to learn new combos off of Youtube.
"Gosh, this choreography is so awesome, where's the tutorial? I NEED TO LEARN THIS NUMBER." I know that all dancers have watched a piece of choreography on Youtube and have wanted to learn it. From a personal standpoint, Chris Clark is my weakness.
11. Always trying to get people to dance with you.
Let's dance! Pretty please, I just want to dance!
12. Thinking of the days of the week as different dance moves.
"Guys, it's tilt Tuesday!"
13. Doing relevés while brushing your teeth.
Because just standing there is not enough.
14. You are always pointing your feet, or stretching.
The thought of sickling or flexing your feet is almost unnerving. The thought of losing your flexibility is even worse.
15. Dancing in the car is taken to a whole new level.
Chances are, you are probably going all out in the car listening to music, because that's just what you do.
16. You lose track of time.
In the studio, you start dancing, and you don't ever want to stop. It can be three hours later, and you may have no idea that much time has passed. Oh, the joy of dancing.
Being a dancer isn't easy. As a dancer, you have faced a lot of pain, injury and tough critiques from instructors. However, this just further fuels your passion for dance. The love of dance is just something that will never go away. That's why you've got to keep the spirit of dance alive in your everyday tasks, and that's also why your life is never boring!
