You'll always remember your first love. Mine just so happened to be dance. I can honestly say that my dance friends and teachers are the reason I am the person I am today. Dance helped me connect with others on a level I just cannot express to someone who hasn't experienced it. My highest highs and my lowest lows were channeled into dance, and I remember the feelings I had post-recital after my senior year. The memories, the tears and the wins were all well worth it.
My dance career sadly came to an end shortly after I graduated. The amount of time put into my senior recital made me realize how much I took dance for granted. Once I turned eighteen, everything just stopped. No more costumes, no more long weekend rehearsals, no more stage makeup, nothing. My best days were behind me it seemed. My friends I saw every single day were always going to be my friends, but I saw them less and less after the summer of my senior year.
Making the decision to not go on to pursue a career in dance was difficult. I had to be honest with myself and tell myself that there are bigger things waiting for me out there. As any dancer knows, after high school graduation, your dance career basically ends unless you decide to pursue it either by studying it or auditioning. Going away to college and knowing I wouldn't have the opportunity to dance like I used to was scary, and I wasn't sure I wanted to give it up. I decided against auditioning for the school's dance team and decided to go through sorority recruitment instead. I have never regretted my choice, but it was weird not going to class every night.
The people I met through dance made my life. Some of my hardest times were in high school, and going to class every night was my escape. You would think that spending hours a day with the same people would get annoying, but it wasn't. It was exactly what I needed, and they created the drive for me to want to push myself to be a better dancer as well as a better person.
I lived for competition weekends. Getting out of school a day early, prancing around in my team jacket knowing I was about to get on stage with my favorite people and do what I loved. Taking classes at convention was always exciting, too. The new choreography made me so excited. I wouldn't have traded this time with my team for the world, and I would do anything to relive the experience.
Luckily, I've found where I belong at college-even if it isn't dancing. I get my opportunity to perform during step show among other Greeks as well as fitting a couple of dance classes into my schedule. I've realized that my dance family will always be there for me, and my studio was like a second home. No matter where I go in life, I have my team to thank for bettering me not only as a dancer but also as a person.
