Imagine a little twelve year old girl surrounded by sixteen year olds and older. She’s so nervous she’s practically shaking. Well you probably already guessed that that little girl happened to be me. I was auditioning for a three week long dance intensive. 9am-4pm everyday for three weeks. I’d never done so much dance before so this was a whole new field for me. As I walked into the studio I saw familiar but not friendly faces. The room suddenly felt so huge as I looked around and only saw seven other girls. Our teacher taught the combination promptly and the music started. The rest was a blur. I don’t know if I was good or bad or what went down but they must've seen something in me because miraculously I got in.

The first day would best be described as the first day of highschool. Except it’s dance and people are much MUCH crueler. I put my bag in the corner of the room and started to stretch by myself. The rest of the day was a blur and the only thing I really remember was sitting at lunch by myself. I was always the girl who was scared to be in class. Everyone else was so much better and more experienced than me. In partner activities I was always picked last and forced to go in a group of three. This was my life for two weeks stretch alone, dance alone, and of course, always eat alone.

That all changed the last week. I finally worked up the confidence to talk to one of the girls fairly in my age range. That was the best decision I could have ever made. Her name was Skylar and Skylar changed my whole outlook on life. She’s so free caring and she just puts everything into what she does. We hung out every second of that last week and by habit, her nature and attitude rubbed off on me. I put myself out there and I improved. She may not know it but she really changed my life and how I dance. She introduced me to other girls and for once in my life, I had friends.

Now imagine that little twelve year old surrounded by amazing friends. Imagine her taking the stage and making it hers. She sure had changed since that audition. Well once again that was me. and I was the happiest I’d ever been. That intensive changed me in the best way possible and I’m forever grateful for that first audition.