Are you afraid to dance?

I know for a fact that everyone gets scared of trying new things. I remember talking about dance in my creative writing class in my last semester of high school, and a few people said, "Dancing is something I wish I continued, or wish that they had tried." If this is a problem for anyone, then I have a story for you.

I had to switch dance schools when I was headed into 7th grade because my first dance teacher decided to retire. I went to this new dance school, and those girls had so much more experience than me. I made some friends at first, and I knew some people, but as I got placed into the more advanced groups, the people I was friends with drifted away toward the other girls, or some of them quit. I felt like I was my own outcast with all these talented dancers around me. They were friends with everyone, and joked around with the teacher and each other. But whenever I talked, it felt awkward. I was the quietest girl out of any of them. I remember one day, my dance teacher said, "Nora, you're being too loud!" Joking around because I never had anything to say, so I wasn't actually being loud. I felt so much pressure to fit in, so I wanted out. Didn't want to be there anymore. I pushed through it though.

All of that happened in my Sophomore year of high school. I graduated from that dance school as a senior, with great relationships with my dance teachers, and the girls got a better sense of who I was I think. I felt like giving up something that's my passion because I felt like I didn't belong. I'm more than happy and proud of myself for getting through that horrible patch of my dance life, and finishing it up and not regretting a thing.

If any of you want to dance, go for it because chances are you'll either love it or hate it. And even if it's not with dance, push through any rough patch of life if you love what you're doing because it will only make you stronger.

Core positions in ballet

Ballet is the art I have been doing out of the four different dance techniques I have learned. (Ballet, jazz, pointe, and hip hop).

If someone wanted to learn how to do ballet, there are some core foot positions that a dancer would need to learn. Here they are:

Position number one:

In this position, you would be standing up straight with your legs together. As you can see in this picture, you will place your heels against each other with your toes pointed outward. Another term for that would be called a "turn out".

Position number two:

This position is very similar to position number one. The only difference is your heels are apart from each other (at about a shoulder's width length). Your feet are still in the same position, just farther apart from each other, and you still want to maintain a turn out.

Position number three:

I never used this position throughout the eleven years I have danced, so I consider it an uncommon one. Some dance schools might use it though. The way this position works is you still keep your turn out, but you have one heel in front (or in back) of the other heel, and your heels are right up against each other.

Position number four:

You can't fully tell how this position works in the picture. The way it works is, you have one foot in front of the other by about 4-6 inches, and you line up your toes on one foot with the heel of the other foot. Again, maintain a turnout!

Position number 5:

This position is similar to position number four, except instead of your feet being about 4-6 inches apart, they are right up against each other, maintaining that turn out.

Points to remember: 

- This positions are actually called First position, Second position, Third position, Fourth position, and Fifth position.

- Your legs stay straight in all of these positions.

- If you don't have a turn out, then the positions will not be right.

The beginning to a dancer's journey

The way I began dancing was a couple of ways.

One way that I was inspired to start dancing was when I saw my sister and one of her friends dance. I was young, not exactly sure what age, but I saw them dancing and it looked like so much fun.
The second reason I decided to start dancing was actually because my mom asked if I would like to start dancing where my sister and her friend. I agreed to right away!

I don't fully remember my first thoughts of my first time at dance class, but I know I loved it because I continued it. I do remember my sister being annoying when we were doing kicks at the bar. She would kick my butt and I got so frustrated. I even told my ballet instructor to ask her to stop.

My first recital was absolutely incredible. I wore a pink and black ballet dress, and I believe I had my hair in a cute little bun. It felt like a pinwheel of butterflies swarming around in my stomach, and once I got on stage, I could not stop smiling.

I will always remember my first dance recital.