I have been extremely active my entire life. From volleyball in elementary and middle school to tennis in high school, I have always loved working my body. But my favorite thing in the world to do is dance. I danced for 16 years, starting when I was three years old. Along with the sports I played, I competed for my studio and competed for my high school dance team. I loved every moment of it and escaped with minimal injuries. Performing was the best part, especially when your family and friends were in the audience. With genres like jazz, tap, hip-hop, ballet, and more, I was never bored. Being so dedicated to something physically and mentally for 16 years is a rarity, especially when beginning at such a young age. That’s why entire world changed when I had to stop.
After graduating high school, I knew I would soon be moving on to bigger and better things. But I was also going to college in another state, far away from my second home, the dance studio. I had taken up a lot of my free time during senior year trying to figure out if I should audition for the college dance team. But ultimately, I decided not to. I get stressed too easily and knew that my academics were going to be so much more important.
Giving up dance was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. But one of my friends opened my mind to something else. She went to the gym with me one day and taught me how to squat. I used the bar and everything that was kind of intimidating. And she changed my life. The feeling I get from lifting weights is the same I used to get from dancing.
Don’t be scared to try something new. I was always so scared of heavy weights and being in that area of the gym. But now I have a new outlet. A place to be expressive and push myself. Thanks to my friend, I have a new way to dance. But this time, I have a few props.