While I've probably always been a writer, anyone who's known me long enough will tell you that I have not always been a dancer. I used to hate to dance, and when I joined my high school's color guard, I was picked on the most by the coach because my hands were always wrong or I had a stiff way of moving.
Then I discovered belly dance in college. A consignment store down the street from where I lived gave classes, and I dropped into one. Sadly, I picked the advance class to drop into, and I struggled to keep up with the rest of the girls. My teacher at the time eventually moved me to a beginning class, and for some reason, I didn't give up.
I had to take about 4 months off when I moved back to Southern California, and when I was settled, I picked another teacher. Again, though, the only class I had time to take was an advanced class, where they were learning choreography for an upcoming performance. And, again, I wasn't discouraged, despite the fact that I hadn't been dancing regularly for 4 months now and this was the second teacher and style I had tried since moving.
I immediately started looking for a new teacher and found an American Tribal Style teacher in Long Beach. I asked her if I could drop in, and she told me that she was going to be starting up a beginning class after her holiday break, but I was welcome to jump in with the advanced girls for the next few weeks. Again, I had to struggle to keep up with girls who have been dancing years longer than I have, and, again, for some reason, I still didn't give up.
Since then, I started a new beginning class with that teacher, talked my friend into coming with me, and now, two years later, we've moved up to the intermediate class and are getting ready for two performances this summer. I've taken workshops with a few big-name belly dancers, and I've started doing flamenco. I've even started a second belly dance class with another teacher, and I'm drilling the basics every morning before I get ready for work. I'm even saving up for my teaching certification from the Fat Chance studio, so I can open my own studio one day.
Even I can't tell you what happened to change my mind, or why I never showed up to a dance class, failed to keep up, and never returned. But now dance is one of the most important things in my life. Even my family is surprised that this is something I've taken up, and actually became good at.
I know that I lack the inherent talent at dancing--my experience in color guard has taught me that much. But I work at dancing almost every day, and I get better every day. I started my flamenco class months behind the other girls, and now I'm the best in the class, and it's not because I'm talented. It's because I never gave up trying to improve my skill.
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