Growing up, I always leaned towards dance when trying out activities and sports to play to keep me busy. Dance was the only thing that I never got tired of. I tried all different kinds of dance from ballet to hip hop and I always looked forward to dance every week. Dance was a place where I could go and not have to worry about anything.

Dance has taught me so many life lessons that I will take with me for the rest of my life. From keeping my chin up to always smiling, dance has helped me with the confidence that I need in my every day life. Dance has taught me precision and accuracy. Being on beat at a specific second and being on time to dance class every week. I have learned that greatness takes time and practice and the things you want will not happen over night. I learned that with a little time and the perfect pair of tap shoes, you can make a song come alive.

I've met so many different people and made new friends at dance and through dance. It's always nice to come to dance every week and be able to do something that you love with friends that love to do the same thing you do. You get to see the friends that share your passion every single week and do the thing that you guys love to do together.

The feeling of getting on that stage is one feeling that I will never forget. We worked extremely hard during the year to perfect this four-minute dance. All that time, hard work and dedication for those few minutes on stage. The lights dim as the number before yours finishes and we run on stage to our beginning spots. The lights come up and the music blasts as the dance begins. We do it full out with everything we have. As the number comes to an end, it's a bittersweet feeling.

All that hard work put in at the studio for that one moment on stage. It's sad because you work all year and it's over in an instant, but it also is amazing because that was what you had been working towards. We wait all year for the recital and to get the opportunity to perform our hard work. All the classes, rehearsals, and costume fittings all lead up to those few moments on stage.

Although I may not still be dancing, I will always consider myself a dancer. Thirteen years of dance has provided me with a lot of insight and dance costumes that make good Halloween costumes. The memories of dance and the lessons I've learned will always be carried with me throughout my life, regardless of where life takes me. All those years of memories will always be in my heart. That is why I will always consider myself a dancer.