What Dance Taught Me

This week I sat in the audience watching a dance rehearsal for the sweet girl I nanny drowning in nostalgia. It seems like just yesterday that dancing was my life and a cold Marley floor and 20 ft wall of mirrors was my home. If I could go back for just one day I would without hesitation take a trip back to my competition days that required hours at the music hall inhaling unhealthy amounts of hair spray. I was lucky to find that one thing that made life make more sense at the age of 3. I know there is nothing else in the world that would have given me the things dance did. The competition world of dance is often looked at for the rhinestoned costumes and the over application of blush, but the things dancing taught me and gave to me are things that are forever engraved in my mind and heart.

Dancing taught me how to work hard. Some may think it’s not a sport… and I’ll let everyone have their opinion on that, but make no mistake the hours of work and dedication it takes to perfect a 2 minute routine. We spent months cleaning and rehearsing to have one shot at executing it. In dance there are no replays, time outs, or next plays. There is nothing but you, that stage and performing your heart out for those judges. My dance teachers pushed me past what I thought my breaking point was, but they knew I was always capable of more. The word “can’t” was not allowed to be used because “you can, you’re just not able to at this moment.” This mindset is an incredibly powerful one to have in dance and life.

Dance taught me how to have passion in something. It will forever amaze me what can be expressed without words on a stage. Sometimes it tells a story much better than we ever could. The feeling of stepping out on stage, the lights beating down on you and getting to perform was what I lived for. I can’t quite explain the high it gave me, but dance for some reason always understood me much better than I understood myself.

Dance is something that has constantly given to me. It has given me confidence, friendship, mentors, and my most cherished memories. It made my heart full and filled my bucket with so much joy. I greatly miss the routines that leave you breathless, the bond my teams had, the permanently bruised knees, and the thrill of performing. To my teachers, teammates, and mom thank you for making dance more than just a sport, but my second family. Eternally gratefully to each of you.

And lastly to dance, thank you for helping me find myself and for being my saving grace during the hardships of growing up.

With Love,

Jade Marie