I dance because….

Dance keeps me going and it empowers me to discover more about myself and to share those discoveries with my family, friends, and peers. Dance motivates me to get through every day and every week. After a long semester of many nights in the studios and a successful dance performance weekend, I've been thinking a lot about all the reasons why I love to dance so here are 11 reasons why I dance!

1. Self-expression.

When words aren’t enough, dance gives me the ability to express my emotions by using facial expressions and sharp movements such as strong kicking throughout a performance.

2. Fitness/exercise.

I’ve never been a big sport person, so finding ways to exercise has always been a challenge for me until I discovered dance. Feeling the beat to the music helps motivate me to stay fit. Plus, there’s nothing better than rewarding myself with an extra scoop of ice cream or an extra piece of chocolate after spending a long night sweating it up in the studios.

3. Dance Team is my family.

I love how supportive everyone on the Lesley Dance Team is. It’s not just a dance team, but it’s really a dance family. When one person falls, at least five other people catch their fall. We have each other’s back, physically and emotionally.

4. Dressing up is fun!

I love doing my hair and makeup to look nice, but I never have the motivation to do it because I never have much of a reason to since I rarely go out anywhere special. I always look forward to dance shows because my girls and I can get together and go all out using that sparkly hair spray and dark eyeshadow we’ve been waiting to use for months.

5. I can’t sing.

The next best thing to singing is busting a move or two to the music!

6. There's such a different variety of dance techniques and styles to try.

I love that I’m able to show a different side of me depending on which dance I’m performing in a dance show. I can show my sassy side, my fun side, my emotional side, and my angry side. The attitude and emotions expressed in a dance all depends on the pace and energy which the song and the dancers carry. Various dance styles allow me to discover more about myself and make it easier for me to stand out and shine whenever I'm dancing to my favorite style.

7. Costumes and squad photos.

I always look forward to getting my costumes because they’re usually so bright and colorful! Some of the costumes I’ve used in dances have been so cute that I’ve been able to wear them out to town with my friends. Unfortunately, other costumes aren’t exactly made for going out in public, but it’s okay because those costumes usually make for the best photos with my friends and funny photos add on to special memories that I can look back on in the future!

8. Escape from stress.

When I’m happy, I want to dance. When I’m sad, I also want to dance. When I’m angry or stressed, all I really want is to be free to dance by myself in the open studio spaces of my school building. After a long day of stress and school work, I can’t imagine a better way to de-stress other than pouring all of my emotions into my bodies movements while listening to a song that I relate to. The point is, wherever I am and most likely, whatever I am feeling, I’m always in the mood to dance because dance is my happy place and it’s where I’m the most free to be true to myself and who I am.

9. Adrenaline rush.

Some people love roller coasters. Other people love horror films. I dance for the rush I feel when I walk onto that stage before each and every performance I give. I love feeling the spotlight turn towards my fellow dancers and I as the audience scream our names and cheers us on. The stage is where I feel most at home.

10. Flowers.

Flowers are one of the most beautiful parts of nature. They smell pretty and they make your dorm room or apartment look a little bit more like home. Basically, flowers make everything a little better. Need I say more?

11. Feeling proud of myself.

There’s nothing better than having people appreciate all the hard work I’ve put into something which makes me so happy. However, my friends and family aren’t the only ones who admire my dancing. I admire myself whenever I dance because I’ve learned to appreciate my body and all that it can do. In addition, I also love learning new techniques and bettering myself everyday with practice. I love seeing how far I come after another dance performance passes. After my fourth dance performance, I’m still discovering new tricks and styles that I never thought I’d be able to do. Dancing allows me to appreciate myself in ways I never had been able to appreciate myself before.