My mom saw a little dancer in me since my first steps. By age 3 she had me in ballet classes and I loved every second of it. I practiced and stretched every day because I wanted to be the best dancer I could be. Before I knew it, I was in 8th grade dancing with the older girls in high school classes. I was excited that I would finally get to dance on stage with the senior teacher, Mrs. Dawn, for the first time. Little did I know that my excitement would come to a halt when my worst nightmare happened. I was running late to rehearsal, so I didn’t get time to stretch out, but I made it just in time to go on stage. At the end of our tap number “Can-Can”, we were to do a half split, but I accidentally fell into the full splits. I had torn my hamstring and there I sat in the splits as the curtain closed. I had never been injured this badly before, but the show had to go on. Although I was in a lot of pain, I was able to fake it through 2 of my 3 dances during the recital weekend. Despite the long recovery, I came back better than ever and was able to continue dancing throughout high school.


The last day of my senior dancing career arrived before I knew it. My last performance, my solo, was not just for me, it was for those who have supported me along the way, shaping me into the amazing dancer I was. It was time for one last dance. The backstage was packed with all my girls from my classes and girls from other classes to see my final performance. The curtains opened and it was showtime! This dance was the most exhilarating experience of my life. Hundreds of people in the crowd and a backstage full of my fellow dancers and teachers cheered me on as I finished my solo. It was a feeling I can’t even describe. As soon as I finished, I was greeted by everyone running on stage to hug me as we were all crying. As the curtains started to close for one last time, the moment started to hit me, and tears filled my eyes. All I could think about was that was 15 years dedicated to this moment and it felt truly amazing.


Reflecting on my 15 years of dance I realized I had made so many friends and memories along the way. Dance taught me that I truly can do anything I put my mind to. I found out that I was a role model to a lot of girls, and I didn’t even realize it. During my time as a leader in dance, I was able to build the confidence I needed to be a leader in my career. Dance taught me to take initiative, try new things, and not be afraid to voice new ideas. In my role at Powertex, I have become someone my peers can look to for help and someone who brings new ideas to the table to help my team work more efficiently.


No matter how small things may seem in the moment, your past experiences have the power to help you succeed in your present and future days. Dance became more than just a sport; it taught me more than I could have imagined.