Dear You,
I know you have had many students over the years, probably more than you can count. You have seen dancers come and go, some who stay for years and some who only come to a few classes. Yet no matter how many or how few times you had someone in your class, your dedication to helping them improve was never ending. For someone like me, who danced in your studio for nearly 14 years (has it been that long already?) it was incredible to watch your passion for teaching prosper.
It was through you that I learned to love to dance. There was something about being in your classes that just felt right. Even on my worst of days, coming to dance class was something I could look forward to. Not only did I love dancing, I loved having you as a teacher. Whether you were correcting or complimenting me, I relished that you had noticed me.
As I got older and started spending more time at the studio, we had conversations between classes, and I started to feel less like a student and more like a friend. Still, I looked up to you as a role model. You are in part of the reason I decided to major in dance. I never thought I could pursue dance as a career until I saw you succeeding at it. For that, I thank you, as majoring in dance has been one of the best decisions of my young life.
One of my proudest moments as a dancer came when I started dancing on pointe shoes. For months before it happened, you encouraged me and told me it would happen one day, so I kept trying. I remember crying the night you told me I was ready. You also told me that I had surprised you and that before, you werenāt sure if I was going to be ready for pointe shoes. I donāt know if you realized it then, but that meant a lot. All I wanted was to make you proud, so to have surpassed your expectations made me feel as though I could do anything.
I donāt know if I ever thanked you while I was dancing in your studio. If I havenāt, now is as good a time as ever. Thank you for teaching me with unending patience and care for 14 years. Thank you for encouraging me to achieve new heights that I hadnāt thought possible. Thank you for sharing your passion that then became my passion. Thank you for your commitment to helping us dancers improve. Thank you for making me believe I could fly. Thank you for lighting the fire that has guided me over the past few years. Thank you for being my teacher. To have the opportunity to dance under your instruction was nothing less than an honor. Although I am no longer at your studio, I will always carry your advice and care in my heart as I navigate the rest of my dancing career. I hope to make you proud.
Sincerely yours, Nikki
