Dear dance,
It’s been 16 years since we first met, even though it only seems like a few. For a long time, I took you for granted. Kicking and screaming as my mother buckled me into the car to take me to class, I didn’t know how important you would be. Slowly, I began to realize all the great things you were giving me, and I could not wait until the next time we met. You continuously brought me more life lessons than I could have ever imagined, and truly changed my life for the better.
I was two years old when my mother forced me into my first dance class. With my baby pink ballet slippers, tiny black leotard, and dance bag in hand, this was just the beginning of a long and endless string of dance apparel. Soon my closet would be overtaken by sparkles, tutus, leotards, tights, and the infamous tangles of costume jewelry. Years of recitals and competitions brought hundreds of costumes I simply couldn’t bear to part with. Regardless of how old they were or how faded the colors became, my costumes are a symbol of my past and how far I have come.
You let me release all of my emotions and surrender myself to you in the weakest and darkest moments of my life. Moments that I am not sure I would have come out of without you. I learned to let the music take me over and let the movement of dance become my happy place. There is no experience quite like dancing and letting the world fade away for a moment. After dancing, I feel an indescribable form of relief. My mind is clear, my heart is full, and the smile on my face stretches from Michigan to Texas.
You taught me how to accept myself for the person I was even when I began to doubt my self worth. You taught me more about myself and this world than any person ever could have. You taught me how important it is to be dedicated because hard work truly does pay off. The day I nailed my triple pirouette or the day I finally got all the way down in my middle split were the moments I knew I was growing. You pushed me to become better and showed me that the limits I thought I had, were just short of what I truly could accomplish.
So thank you dance for being my escape, my happy place, my ultimate form of relief. Free of doubt and worry. Thank you for giving me a world to escape to, even if just for a few short minutes, letting the world slip away while pushing myself to new limits is the reason I do what I do. Thank you for everything and every moment you have allowed me to indulge in over these past sixteen years. I am forever grateful for the life you have given me. Thank you for saving my life.
Sincerely,
A dedicated fan
