Dance is for everybody and every BODY
This season of gratitude always makes me reflect on how thankful I am to get to live a life full of dance.
Dance is something I feel so blessed to have in my daily world, whether I’m at my own studio with our families, coaching fellow studio owners, keynote speaking at business events, or teaching on the convention circuit. This last weekend I even had an opportunity to perform with the faculty of Dance Revolution – special treat considering I was on crutches 6 months ago.
But, last week, I was introduced to a new layer of gratitude for dance. The JOY of seeing adults discover it for the first time as I learned when I was tagged in a social media post a couple weeks ago.
It was a post by one of our adult ballet students who had just taken her first ballet class ever. She said one of her dreams had just come true.
I could not stop the tears. So many good tears.
Here’s a snippet of what she said:
“Yes, at 46 years old, one of the dreams I’ve had since childhood came true. I stood in a room, with pointed toes and a bunch of French words I can’t pronounce. As I looked at myself in the mirror, the same self I have a hard time looking at every single day, I didn’t see the wrinkles and the multiple chins, I didn’t see the bumps and bulges, I didn’t see the extra 50 pounds. I saw the dancer inside me, in the pretty pink ballet slippers my dear friend bought me for the occasion.
And I saw someone who was “doing it!” I wasn’t sitting at home dreaming about it. I was doing it. I may not have done it perfectly. It was hard and my body resisted, but I did it and I loved it and I want to do more.”
WOW.
The emotions came tumbling out of me when I read this post. And the gratitude I felt for this woman, and for her experience, was overwhelming.
THIS is why I do what I do.
Dance is for everybody and every BODY. It is for every age, for every size, for every background. To dance is a dream come true for so many of us, no matter what stage of learning we’re in.
I’ve always said I felt called to do the work I do. God’s grace has allowed me to follow my passion in the dance industry and I am thankful for His guidance. What a privilege it is to be living out this life!
When I was a young dancer, I didn’t completely know what a “calling” was, but I knew there was something special about the way dance felt in my soul. I didn’t know that my calling meant I would be building national and international programs in dance. I didn’t know that my calling meant growing a tribe of like-minded studio owners. I didn’t know that my calling would be creating a community for my community.
It is beyond humbling now to see others’ dance dreams come true at MDU. Dance really does change lives.
Gratitude doesn’t seem like a big enough word to acknowledge the beautiful ballet student who tagged me in that post a couple of weeks ago. So this post will have to do. Thank you for saying what you said … and for following your dreams. You are an inspiration!
And to anyone who is reading this and thinking about trying a ballet class for the first time: Do it! Don’t hesitate.
Dance is for everyone.
Come as you are.
Embrace the feeling. Enjoy the movement.
You’ll always be welcome at my studio.
Love, Misty
