It’s been a good run, we have fought the good fight, and we have survived our last dance. Whatever your situation might be; whether you're injured, a senior, or other reasons. we have come to a point in our lives where it's time to say goodbye. It’s time to hang up the shoes, and walk away.

I have been moving my feet to the tempos, and learning the combinations since I was able to walk, but I still get the butterflies and knots in my stomach when I walk out on stage. The faces in the audience are still, blacked out from the lights that force my makeup to drip. The music starts, and no matter what is going on in the world I smile, and face the actuality of being on the stage for the last time.

All I can think to myself is, “This is it.”

Dance started with teachers standing in front of us little girls in leotards and black skirts, with our tiaras shining as bright as the smiles in the audience, because our parents thought we were cute even when we had no idea what we were doing. Fast forward 14 years and my teachers are standing backstage smiling because they’re so proud we have come this far, still reminding us to smile and stay together.

Somewhere in the midst of the studios are many years of memories and pieces of myself that I will never get back. Somewhere in my career, I evolved from the little girl who looked up on stage and said, “I want to be like her” to the girl that the little ones look up to.

Where did the time go? Just yesterday it felt like my mom was helping me put my shoes on and lining me up to go onstage. Now I’m the one running around trying to keep everybody else calm during all the chaos.

It wasn’t easy to spend August to June year after year in a room that felt like it pointed out every flaw. There were countless tears, bruising, broken hearts, and stress. It wasn’t fun to push myself to the breaking point when it felt like I wasn’t even getting any better, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Standing on the stage in the final pose, and listening to the ovation made it all worthwhile.

I have learned leadership, responsibility, how to count measures, how to take a compliment politely, but always know you could be a little bit better, how pick up choreography quickly, how to stand up from a fall, how to keep my chin up when my heart and soul were in the lowest place, how to extend, bend, strengthen, and smile all at the same time. Most importantly, how to build relationships that will last a lifetime. The list of things dance has taught me is infinite.

Dance has always been an escape route for me, and many others I know. As we entered the studio, everything else fell to the side, and we would use the time we had to work it out of our system. It was like our own personal bubble from the outside world. Dance has always been there, even when the rest of the world turned its back.

Everything is coming to an end now, and I don’t know what to do with myself.

What will I do on my week nights without dance practice? Who will I be?

Dance is the one thing that taught me that there is beauty even in the ugliest of things, and that actions speak louder than words could ever do.

Saying goodbye is the hardest thing I have ever had to do, but even when I hang up the shoes and stop picking out costumes every year I will still dance in my kitchen, I will still tap dance down the hallways of school, and I will still turn down the grocery store aisles. Who says I can’t be the crazy choreographer that stays up until 3 a.m. dancing in my bedroom?

All of the past years, countless hours, and classes led to this moment. When the music stops for the last time I can hold my head up high knowing that it is the end,

But doesn’t every end have a new beginning?

Thank you for the memories, but most importantly making me feel beautiful.