I walked into the small building on Main Street and set down my bags in front of me. I glanced around at the big mirrors on the wall and the seemingly-loud speakers on the floor. I inhale deeply, taking in the smell of lavender air freshener and worn out shoes. I feel a welcoming presence come onto me. My mind starts to empty itself from all the problems of the world and starts filling itself with what matters- dance.
I was only 3 years old when I first started dancing. I remember thinking that it was so weird to wear thin black shoes and do random motions that didn't even make sense to me. Now that I have been dancing for so many years and have gone through so many different levels of skill, dance feels almost natural. Looking back, I have realized that I have put a lot of my time and effort into dance. I go to dance once, maybe twice a week, giving up around 2 hours of my free time. That is almost three full days of nonstop dancing every single year. This may seem like a lot to you, but it only feels like seconds to me.
I believe that dance has had a great impact on my life. It has stepped me out of my comfort zone and into a new world of freedom. I have been performing in front of a crowd of approximately 800 people for almost 12 years. Not long ago, I even performed in front of a crowd of over 500,000 people in Chicago. Doing these performances have led me into the right direction to become more confident in everything I do. If it weren't for these experiences, I probably wouldn't be able to present school projects to my classmates with the confidence I have now.
