Anyone who grew up dancing competitively knows that dance teachers carry more than one title. In addition to dance instructor, choreographer, and in my own dance teacher's case, Checchetti Queen, some other jobs include second mom, drama mediator, dance mom wrangler, business owner, and more. All of those jobs are bound to get tiring, and I know that dancers and parents never fully appreciate everything that their teachers do for them. Even if you have already graduated from your studio, here are a few things that you should thank your dance teacher for.

Never giving up on us, even when we were at our worst.

When you spend large amounts a time with someone, you see pretty much every side of them. Our dance teachers have stuck with us through brattiness, laziness, sadness, silliness, and everything in between. They never gave up on us, even through our awkward, drama-filled, pre-teen years because they knew there was light at the end of the tunnel. Even when we were at our worst, our dance teachers were there to lift up our self esteem and self confidence to mold us into the strongest dancers, and people, we could be.

Pushing us to always be better versions of ourselves.

Throughout my entire dance career, my teacher never compared us to any other studios. Instead, she wanted us to compete against ourselves. Our main goal was to score better and be stronger than the year before. Not to look at other studios and think, "Wow, we will never be as good as them." She wanted us to think, "Wow, this is something I couldn't even do last year, and look how well I'm doing now." It taught us to constantly push ourselves harder, without always comparing ourselves to others. She wanted us to be better for ourselves, not for anyone else, which is a mentality I will keep for the rest of my life.

Giving us a home away from home.

Two years after graduating from my studio, I know I still have a home there. I still have people who love me and who will be there for me whenever I need them. That is because of the dance family our teachers created. They bonded the dancers and the families together through support and love, and created a true home for anyone who walked through the doors of the studio. I found lifelong friends at my studio and made memories I will cherish forever. For that, I have to thank my teacher. Without her, I honestly don't know where I would be in my life.

Thank you, Miss Lynne, for helping me to believe in myself and for giving me the opportunity to lead in your company. Walking into your studio 11 years ago truly changed my life for the better.