I started dancing when I was three years old. Well, I TRIED to start dancing when I was three years old, but I was behaving like a menace and the teacher asked my mom to bring me back next year instead. 

So, technically, I started dancing when I was four years old. 

Once I started, I never stopped. I started with tap, jazz, and ballet and then lyrical, contemporary, street jazz, Irish step dance... I even tried hip-hop for a few minutes! I also joined my high school theatre company's dance ensemble and was dance captain of our show choir. There was no amount of dancing and performing that felt like too much. 

I danced all through undergrad and even served as the President of the dance company. I picked up a dance minor and was invited to choreograph for the department's biggest showcase, X Dance. 

After college, dance was harder to keep up with. I took a few classes here and there. I found a dance fitness class that I loved. But none of it felt as good as dancing to PERFORM. I love being on stage. I love the rush of live art. I never feel more like myself than when I'm on stage. 

I don't know that I realized how much I missed performing (and performing with others) until I went back. Onstage has been such a gift. I look forward to rehearsals, challenging myself with new choreography and spending time laughing with my friends. I look forward to show week, when the entire company spends almost three full days working together to perfect the show and make it the best it can be. I look forward to every new season and new friend and I know I'll never go back to not performing ever again.