Dear Friend,

First off, I just want to say I’m sorry we haven’t seen each other in a while. And it’s safe to say, no matter what time of the year it is, I haven’t seen you as frequently as we wish. Whether it be competition season leaving me slammed with hell-weeks, weekends in a row where I’m out of state to perform, or the weeks where I lock myself in a studio for hours on end making a new piece, I’m sure it’s been at least a bit of time where I haven’t seen you. And I’m sorry.

You know, it’s a small, yet persistent thought in the back of my head how dance plays a role in our friendship. Sometimes I worry that you don’t understand exactly why I spend so much time away from you because of dance, and I worry even more so that you take it personally. The occasional joke between us that you’re going to start dancing is heavy on my heart. Because I really just don’t know how else to say I wish you were here, and your laughter indicates to me that you wish you wanted to be.

It’s crazy. Despite our years backing our friendship, all the time invested, and all the shared laughs and tears, I’m ashamed to admit I still worry that my passion for something you don’t care too much for puts gaps in our conversations, in our adventures, our goals, and by extension, our overall connection.

But, I guess what I’m trying to say is thank you.

There’s not that many people in this world that would cheer my name in a crowd or wait through the dozens of other acts just to see me even once in a six minute set. And I cherish the “good job!” sentiments, even if you’re lying and you can’t tell the difference if the performance really was good or bad.

I can’t even count how many times rehearsals have run late and it’s changed our plans, and you never held it against me. Not even once. Or how about the endless hours you’ve listened to me rant about the going-ons in rehearsals, gush about my dance idols, go on and on about my dance friends that you don’t even know? I love you for it.

I’ve had a lot of friends that don’t even try. They give me looks of judgment when they hear how much money or time I spend on rehearsal or class. They blatantly don’t pay attention when I talk about my frustrations or dreams. It’s very likely too that they’ve never even seen me do the damn thing and it has honestly left me a little bitter. And as I find myself more and more trying to surround myself with people who have more similar interests to me, it makes me even more grateful that you've stuck around so relentlessly.

So lastly, and possibly most importantly, thank you for being fresh eyes and much-needed outside perspective in my creative mind. Thank you for being my solid support system as I pursue a fickle craft. Thank you for being open-minded to the thing that grants me purpose.

Thank you for letting me, be me.

Love,