I started dancing when I was around six years old, maybe even before that. I have experienced many things throughout my time as a dancer. There are many different things that a dancer experiences during practice, while warming up and on stage. Sometimes only other dancers can understand the things that dancers experience and take part in. Here are some things that dancers may understand…
and the things that dancers experience and take part in. Here are some things that dancers may understand…
When people ask you why you are doing what you are doing.
As a dancer, there are many movements that require a lot of flexibility, endurance and the ability to handle pain. For example when my friends, who are not dancers, see me doing a split or extending my leg very high, they tell me that it looks painful and ask me why I would do that. My answer to that is: yes, it did hurt at one point, but as I worked on it and became more flexible, it began to hurt less and less.
I also do a type of dance called pointe, which requires you to wear a shoe that allows you to go all the way up on your toes, and it does hurt a lot. A few times after coming out of pointe practice, I would get into my dad’s car and he would ask how practice was and I would tell him that it was good. I would also add that my toes hurt, and sometimes would even say that they were red or even bleeding.
He would ask why I keep doing it if it hurts so badly. This question is actually hard for me to answer. It has been something that I always wanted to do.
Being able to do something you have always wanted to do.
Learning new dance moves or steps is both exciting and nerve-wracking. Especially if you have seen other people do them and look good. When you try to do it for the first time, you might feel like you look bad. When you finally get it right after attempting it many times, it is the most amazing feeling.
Fouettes, a type of turn, is that for me. I am in no way a master at fouettes; I actually am not that good at them. I can do a few in a row, but not very many. There was a point where I couldn’t do them at all. It shows that practice does help.
Feeling pain in different parts of your body after practice.
Depending on what you work on at practice, your body can ache. You are constantly moving different parts of your body in many different ways. You can put a strain on certain parts of your body and sometimes get injured badly in dance.
There were days where we would be doing a lot of things involving the strength of our core. I would wake up and my core would feel sore. Other days, I would wake up the day after and barely be able to move my legs. It becomes a normal thing when you are dancing on multiple days every week.
Finally getting your pointe shoes.
At my studio, you had to be invited to do pointe. You would receive a letter that said you could participate in pre-pointe, which is a class that focuses on strengthening your feet and ankles so that you are able to go up on your toes. While in pre-pointe, you wear soft shoes and the instructor would watch how you are progressing and let you know when she thinks you are strong enough to move up to an actual pointe class and get pointe shoes.
I remember the day that I was finally able to get pointe shoes. She called me out of the room. At first, I thought I was in trouble, but she was telling me that I was ready for pointe shoes. She told me in a private setting because there were other people there who had not yet gotten their pointe shoes and didn’t want them to feel left out or jealous. Since then I have used a pair or two, My current pair is bedazzled!
Finding a passion.
Every dancer has their own story on how or why they started dancing. I started as a way to gain strength and balance because I was born with low muscle tone. It has helped gain so much strength, balance and flexibility since then. It was also just something to do besides school.
As I got older, I got into it more and more and liked it more. It became more than just the things I mentioned before. It became a stress reliever and it made me happy. I would be excited to go to practice every week!
It is a passion and will forever be something that I want in my life. I know that not all dancers feel this way but I’m sure there are other people out there who feel the same as I do.
