Dance has been a major part of my life for as long as I can remember. Both of my older female cousins were dancers, and I would go watch their rehearsals and every recital, dreaming of being up on stage. At three years old I started doing ballet because I wanted to be just like my cousins. I instantly loved it, and danced at a ballet studio for three years, until that studio closed.
I then moved to a much larger studio that offered all types of dance. I think this is when my love for dance truly began. I started doing tap, jazz, lyrical, modern, as well as continuing ballet. Every summer I counted down the days until dance started in the fall, and I could see all of my dance friends again. Many of the girls I danced with I also went to school with, and were some of my best friends, but there were also some from other towns who I only saw at dance. I danced alongside the same group of girls from age seven all the way up until I stopped at age 14. We became like a family, who experienced everything together. We went from excited little girls, through our awkward middle school years, and everything in between.
Some of my best childhood memories were applying full-stage makeup and doing my hair for rehearsals and recitals surrounded by some of my best friends. At a young age, most girls rarely get to wear makeup so this was even more exciting. I loved the thrill of getting to try on our costumes for the first time, as well as the excited jitters felt before going on stage for a recital to show your family and friends the dances we had been working on for the last six months.
Dance is something that I had always done, as well as play other sports such as softball and volleyball. I loved them all equally, but as I got closer to high school I knew I had to choose which I wanted to do. The springs were always stressful because I would have to rush from softball practices or games to a dress rehearsal, and would often have to choose one or the other. I hate missing out on things, so I knew that I had to pick which I wanted to do. In the end, I decided to quit dance in the winter of eighth grade, in order to focus on my last year of middle school softball. At the time I was devastated because I was leaving something that I loved so much. I watched my friends in the recital with tears in my eyes, wishing I was up on stage with them.
Fast forward six years, and I am now a sophomore in college. I had always wanted to get back into dancing in some capacity but wasn’t sure how. I also knew that I would not have the skills I once had, so I was apprehensive to dance again. This past fall I decided to join the dance club at Stonehill. I knew a few other people in the club, and they assured me that it was low pressure and an all-around fun environment. I decided to sign up for jazz and tap for my first semester back in dance. I was so nervous for my first jazz class since I had not actually danced in so long. I wasn’t sure I would remember how to do a leap or pirouette, but it somehow came right back to me. I remembered how much fun I used to have during dance class. Tap was definitely an adjustment, as the first class I couldn’t get my brain to connect with my feet trying to do the intricate steps, but that went away quickly. Now in my second semester back dancing, I look forward to tap, jazz, and modern class every week, as it is a nice break from the usual stress of classes.
At the end of each semester, we have a recital to show all of our dances. At last semesters show, all of those amazing memories came back to me. Getting ready with friends, taking pictures, and of course the excited jitters right before I went on stage. My love for dance has definitely returned and has added so much to my college experience. Although I was initially apprehensive about getting back in the studio, I can safely say it is one of the best decisions I have made!