Saturday, July 27, 2013

Live, Love, DANCE!!

Happy National DANCE Day!
So why do you dance?!  Here's a fun post written by Miss Mary about her dance journey growing up and how it impacted her life :)


Live, Love, Dance              By Mary Swenson
Maybe it's because my life is submersed in dance constantly, but anytime I meet a little girl between the ages of two to about seven, I usually end up asking, "are you in dance class"?  To me, dance is a given for little girls and I don't think I've ever met one who has said they weren't in dance or that they didn't want to give it a try.  Having been a dancer myself and now instructing girls of all ages, two to adults, I see what an incredible impact in can make.
When I was young, probably three to about seven, I took dance classes.  Then, my stubborn little self decided I didn't like the partner I had in a dance routine, so I wanted to quit.  How logical, right?  I'm sure I came up with a better excuse to tell my mom lol, but that's the only reason I can recall.  (Side note, I'm always wary of giving my dancers partners now!) ;)
Then my younger sister Emily came along and started dance and even became a competition dancer.  I so envied what she got to do.  I loved the costumes, the performing, the camaraderie, the fun.  I felt like an outsider peeking into a glamorous, elite world.  I thought that I would never be able to get back into dance and that those years off had left me without a chance to be a dancer.  Well finally, with some pushing from my parents, I got back into dance.  It's never to late to start (or re-start) a passion!  At this point I was probably in junior high, but caught back up and absolutely loved it.  I would practice constantly.  I would take home the material I learned and practice it over and over again.  I would do "across the floor" exercises in our basement, I worked on my ballet technique while on vacation, did conditioning exercises in our back yard, I was dancing all the time.  And it sure looks like much hasn't changed- still dancing all the time!
 Dance has truly changed me.  It gave me confidence and "star power" as a young woman.  It gave me a passion, a focus, a purpose.  It helped me develop athleticism, skills, and stage presence.  It allowed me to be a part of a team, to learn commitment, to gain friends, to experience what it feels like to be in the spotlight.  It kept me busy, kept me active, and kept me happy.
 To me, it's a no brainer how wonderful dance can be for someone.  I encourage you to check out dance classes for your little ballerina or the dancer inside your heart.  :)  www.woodburydance.com

No comments:

Post a Comment