8 Things Dancers Miss When They Stop Dancing
Start writing a post
Sports

8 Things Dancers Miss When They Stop Dancing

Those of you who have stopped dancing understand that this is not an easy thing to do, and there is a long list of things we will always miss.

496386
8 Things Dancers Miss When They Stop Dancing

Life transitions often lead to sacrifices, and mine was dance. College offered many incredible opportunities that no longer led me to dancing consistently, so it was time to move on from that very significant chapter in my life. Those of you who have stopped dancing understand that this is not an easy thing to do, and there is a long list of things we will always miss.

1. The adrenaline.

There is no feeling in the world like doing what you love in front of a huge crowd. No matter how many times you had done it, dancing in front of your peers and your loved ones gave you a certain kind of rush nothing can replace. Once you've stopped dancing, it's difficult to find this same feeling in other aspects of your life.

2. Those weird dancer habits.

Remember when we used to watch TV in the strangest positions, and our families never understood it? Remember counting “... 5, 6, 7, 8" before we would begin anything or cracking our hips in class? There are certain things dancers do subconsciously in everyday life that scream, “I'm a dancer!" We never realized they were there until we found ourselves doing them less and less because habits fade and so do those pieces of us.

3. The chaos.

Sounds odd, right? Well, it's true. Being pulled out of our naturally chaotic schedules consisting of practices, rehearsals and performances with back-to-back dances was a huge adjustment, and they become something worth missing. At the end of the day, the craziness was always worth it.

4. The escape.

Although dancing added stress to our lives, it somehow also took it away. It was always a trance I could lose myself in without having to think about anything. Whenever life was just too much to handle, dance was always something that let us escape from reality, and now we often feel lost without it. It's difficult knowing that we don't have dance class later tonight and that we now have to find other ways to cope with our busy lives.

5. Being flexible.

Remember effortlessly kicking your face and sliding into the splits? Years and years of stretching and training gave us the ability to be flexible, and we are slowly losing that ability. As time goes on, and we dance less and less, our muscles long to remember what it's like to bend in that ridiculous way again.

6. Waking up sore.

There is no workout like completely engulfing yourself in a dance or a performance and losing yourself in the music. We will forever miss waking up in the morning being sore in that certain way that always reminded us that what we did was worth the pain. It was always a good kind of pain.

7. Costumes and stage makeup.

Dance was the one excuse we had to wear flashy outfits and way too much makeup, so now what? We miss the fake eyelashes, the undying smell of hairspray and the sparkly costumes that cut up our armpits. We don't know why, but we loved all of it.

8. Dancing next to your best friends.

Whether it was a dance team, dance company or dance class, our friends from dance understood us in ways other people never could. They understood the pressure, the struggle and the passion behind dancing, and we got to dance next to them every day. These were the people we grew up with, the people we trusted in ways we could not trust others, and the people we shared infinite amounts of crazy early mornings and late nights with.

At least we cannot miss the memory of dance, because we will have that forever.
Report this Content
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

57716
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

37196
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

958904
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

191818
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments