Being a dancer was one of my most beautiful decisions in life so far. In the past 17 years, I have learned so much about life and I have gained so much knowledge and wisdom from my mentors. I am who I am today because of this wonderful art. To all of my fellow members of the dance world, I’m sure that you can relate to these points.

1. The physical benefits of dance are outstanding.

Let’s be honest, dance does some major sculpting to our bodies. Our muscles are strong, our abs are tight, and we are limber. Dance keeps us in shape, and it also keeps our coordination in check. How many people do you know that have insane control when spinning around in circles or holding your limbs up in the air? Unless you’re a dancer, not many.

2. Confidence has been instilled in each of us.

Personally, I’ve always struggled with self-confidence. The fear of not being good enough or accepted is a constant battle. But with dance, none of that matters. Yes, you can dance to impress the audience or the judges. But, it’s important to dance for yourself and let everything else loose. Yes, your solo is to show off your talent. But, it’s also a chance to create inner confidence and to believe in your abilities.

3. Dance is a form of self-expression.

Everyone one has their own way of self-expression, whether it be by expressing fashion, singing, writing, music, art work, etc. Expressing feelings through dance is powerful. When we really feel something, we feel it with every fiber of our bodies. Dance is a form of art, and we are all artists and creators in our own way.

4. Dance is the best stress reliever.

If there is one thing that I know for sure, I know that when you’re at dance class, everything else is irrelevant. For hours, you are solely focused on dancing and yourself. Dancing takes all the stress away from the outside world. If I am stressed about a big test that is coming, dance takes all of that built up stress away and I feel like a new person. Few things in life can have that effect on a person.

5. Age old joints make up a dancer’s body.

As a dancer, we have some pretty rusty joints. As soon as you sit up in bed, you can feel the ripple of cracking escalate up your spine. Walking can automatically pop your hips for you. When you bend down, your knees crack. If you point your foot, your ankle cracks as well. This may not be a good sign in the long run, but who knows. Dance is fun.

6. We’ve got rhythm.

For the most part, dancers have rhythm. Some may not be as spot on as others, but we all still have it. We can pick out a beat so fast and stick to it. We know the right beat to clap along to in a song, and everyone always looks at us so that they can find the beat. We know the good songs from the bad, and we are the go-to for music suggestions.

7. We automatically start choreographing any time we hear an awesome song.

I for one, am guilty of this, especially when I’m jamming to the radio in the car. People probably think that I’m crazy, but I don’t mind. You just can’t help but feel the music and tap into your emotions and imagination. We all have those moments where we just start randomly doing turns in the kitchen or tap our feet under the desk in class trying to practice a tap dance. We can’t help it.

8. We definitely all know how to count to eight.

Ever since you were a tiny tot, all of the voices counting “5,6,7,8” are forever cemented into our brain. We all even have that sing song tone of voice that comes out when we have to count out an eight-count. The amount of times that a dancer counts to eight in their life time must be close to one billion.

9. We know how to pretend that we are okay even if we aren’t.

No matter what the situation may be, sometimes you have to put on your best fake smile and perform as if nothing is wrong. There have been numerous times in my life where this has occurred. But, I always kept a strong smile and face on stage. I’ve learned to keep my chin up and to always keep going.

10. All of your friends tell you that you’re ALWAYS at dance.

My phone would always be blowing up when I would come out of class. I would miss the entire conversation in the group message or have a million notifications. My standard reply is, “Sorry, I’m at dance.” Dancers work hard! We’re at the studio usually around four days a week or more. We are constantly improving our technique and dances. Yes, we are always at dance. It doesn’t bother us though.

11. The anxious feelings before going on stage.

At one point or another, we’ve all gotten that anxious butterfly feeling in the pit of our stomachs before going on stage. Solos are always the most nerve wracking. We’ve learned to deal with stress and anxious feelings in a healthy and positive way, and that has helped us deal with many difficult situations in life.

12. You’ll have friends for a lifetime.

Dance friends are always the best friends to have. You may have never gone to the same school or you may not even live close to each other, but dance brought you together. From the time you were tiny tots in first steps to being graduating seniors, every competition, class, and recital will be a memory for you both to share.

13. You understand the true meaning of passion.

Dance teaches you the true meaning of reaching for your goals and following your dreams. Dancers are always working hard to improve themselves. We are the definition of determination. We throw ourselves into every dance and class. Thanks to our teachers, we have wonderful role models and inspiration who have taught us the meaning of passion.