Dance isn't just an art or a sport its a way of life. As a dancer we learn to live in and outside the studio as a dancer and it becomes our world. It's not just about mastering the movements it's about making the movements mean something, not only to us but to our audience. We are expressing ourselves to the people watching us. There are always signs that give us away and it's fun realizing that they stay with us for our lives to come.

1. Listening to music always leads to you trying to come up with choreography.

It's just who we are. We hear a song, feel the rhythm, and the ideas just start flowing. You may not ever get to teach it, but it is always there in the back of your mind whenever you hear the song again.

2. The phrase "going across the floor" still scares you

It was one thing you were never looking forward to in class, but you knew it was always going to happen. But, hey, who else likes to do things over and over and OVER again for about 15 minutes?

3. You still catch yourself doing turns in public places.

Whether you were at the airport or in the grocery store, your always in a studio, no matter what. Once a dancer, always a dancer.

4. You're really good at making tight buns and people are always asking you how you get them so neat

All the dancers know that if your bun wasn't perfect you were going to have to redo it so you better get it right the first time. It may take four cans of hairspray, but hey, those fly aways were a big deal and are super noticeable to the audience if you were on stage.

5. Bling is everything, whether it's on clothes or when it comes to your make up

Glitter still is everywhere. And I mean EVERYWHERE. It was on all our costumes, our hair and our make up! We all know that we will never get rid of it either, it will forever be in our lives because it is what we came to love and we still use it for everything!

6. You still have packs of fake eyelashes laying around.

From short eyelashes to long eyes lashes we all hated gluing these suckers on, but it always made our eyes look so much bigger. Trying to get those suckers on was miserable though, so we kept stockpiles, and we still have stockpiles because practice makes perfect and figuring out how to get them on was always a goal!

7. Changing in the car? Not a problem!

Going from school to the studio, or studio to a rehearsal, we all got really good at quick changes and changes in the car!

8. There is a collection of dance shoes and costumes in your closet and giving them up is not even a question

You will always keep the costumes and the shoes that you cherished growing up. Hanging on your wall or in a box that was your passion and you never give up your passion.

9. You don't count "1, 2, 3, 4" its "5, 6, 7, 8"

Every routine, every drill you went through, you always started with these numbers and that just became how you count. People may look at you funny, but hey, it's okay we are dancers and that's our lives!

10. You never forget that rush of adrenaline you got before a performance

Recitals and shows were what we looked forward too all season. The excitement we get was just a touch of the feeling you get while you are showing everyone your talents. You never forget that feeling and you always look for opportunities to get that feeling again.