To start off, this is not a letter pertaining to the show on lifetime. Nor is this a critique on the overbearing, in your face, obnoxious moms that are as much apart of the dance world as you are. This is a letter to the moms who have driven us to all our classes since we were three. To the moms who have sewn every point shoe and fixed every costume. To the moms who have done our makeup for every show until we learned how to do it ourselves. Without them, we would be nothing.

So thank you moms for all that you have done for us. For encouraging us to pursue our passions without so much as a complaint (well maybe there was some complaining about driving to that 8 o’clock ballet class). There are not enough thanks in the world for what you have done for us. Dance has taught all of us how to be better people, and moms have taken part in this. You have taught us to always uphold our commitments. Even when we are so sore from the day before or had a stressful day at school, you pushed us to go to class. You have taught us to be kind and caring when you shushed us in the car for smack talking about a girl in class. You taught us to be confident when you told us “I know you will do great” in an audition or performance. All of those little things moms have done just out of the goodness of their hearts have carried over into not only into our dance world but also into our everyday world.

More than just teaching us how to be better people, our dance moms have kept us sane. When we were freaking out about the paper that was due tomorrow but knew that our point shoes had not been sewn for an audition, moms would always come to the rescue. When we were younger they prepped all of our costumes so that we could concentrate on freaking out about the amount of dances we have in show. Our moms have been our calm during the storm. They have kept us focused on what is important while also reminding us of all the reasons we love dance so much.

Knowing that your mom is watching you perform pushes you to work harder, smile bigger, jump higher. All the times your mom dropped you off at class and wishing she could see you dance, culminate into the few minutes for her to watch you on stage. It’s a wonderful moment seeing your mom and dad and the smiles upon their faces as they present you with flowers and congratulate you on your performance. This the moment that shows all the work that moms have been putting in to get you to dance has paid off and turned into something beautiful.

So the next time you see your mom, thank her. Thank her for taking your butt to class every week and paying for the always-increasing cost of shoes. Thank her for always being there for you when you were nervous or upset about an audition. Thank her for letting you pursue your passion. Thank her for always being a wonderful and caring dance mom.