Dancers are so much more than just performers.

They are storytellers.

Through the movements of their bodies, emotions are portrayed and stories are told. Dance allows one to express him or herself. Through the movements of the body, dance provides mental, physical, and emotional relaxation. A sense of belonging, a feeling that you are part of something, a belief that you are something special. That is what dance does for a person. It allows them to feel like they belong in this world, like they are a part of something great. Dance allows people to feel happy about who they are and gain confidence that many long to have.

Dance is not just a hobby, but it is a way of life. It is a release from the pressures, a release from the stresses, a release from the fast moving world around us. Dance is an escape from the craziness that our lives include.

Throughout my life, dance has taught me so many lessons. For instance, I’ve learned how to release my stress. By allowing the music to take over, the stress is released by the movements of our bodies. I’ve also learned that people who dance have a story to be told. Though they do not tell their stories through words, they communicate through movements and emotions. The most important thing I’ve learned is how to be comfortable with who I am. Dance has given me the opportunity to watch myself grow into the person I want to be.

I tell my friends and the people I know to come to the shows I perform in. I don’t tell them to come because I want a large audience. I tell them to come because I want to show them who I really am. Without dance, I feel as though I am nothing. I told one of my friends that once and his response was, “Don’t say that. That is not true.” What he doesn’t realize is that my statement is 100% accurate. Dance is the way I express myself. Without dance, I have no way of truly explaining who I am and how I feel. It is a nonverbal communication that can be completely understood by viewers. I dance because I love the feeling of being free. I am allowed to move how I feel without being judged because everyone who is dancing around me is doing their own thing as well.

I’ve tried to tell my friend to come to the next show that I am performing in because I want him to learn and understand why I dance and why it is so important to me. Words can’t and won’t do justice. It is by the eyes of the beholder to truly get a sense of the way a dancer feels.

Sometimes we, as dancers, feel misunderstood, alone, or invisible. When we dance, we feel like we belong. We are happy with the people we’ve become when we are dancing. It’s hard for some of us to talk about how we feel. Expressing emotions can be difficult, so we do so through our movements. For example, when we choreograph a dance, the song has meaning in our lives. Dance is an escape but is also the way many of us get through life. It is something that keeps us balanced and content.

The way people carry themselves speak volumes about who that person really is. Dance allows a person to be perceived the way they want the world to see them. It is an opportunity to show their emotions without being judged or laughed at. We feel the music and allow our movements to match the rhythms and beats. Dance allows us to connect with our audience on many levels. We grab the audience’s attention, displaying how we feel through both our physical emotions and through the way our bodies move.

As mentioned already, dance is not just a hobby or a sport, but it is a way of life. Dance is what keeps some of going. Dance is a stunning illustration of our lives that the world needs to experience.