What Your Favorite Dance Style Says About You

You are unique, and that is represented in your favorite dance style. Find your favorite style below and see what that says about you!

Ballet- You are a perfectionist. You will not settle for anything subpar, and as a result, you are an extremely hard worker. You go above and beyond, and people admire you for that. You have a captivating personality which draws people to you.

Ballroom- You are spicy. You have a loud and outgoing personality. You are committed and very detail oriented. You also know how to get along with just about anyone and are good at making deep and meaningful friendships.

Contemporary/Modern- You're the quirky one of the bunch. You aren't afraid to try things that are different and feel comfortable standing out. You're unique personality leaves a lasting impression on those who cross your path.

Hip Hop- You are extremely cool. You know how to hit it hard and keep it smooth when you have to. People aspire to be you. You are charming and know how to get what you want.

Jazz- You have sass!. You aren't afraid to stand up for what you believe and have a sarcastic edge. This can be endearing as long as you aren't overbearing. You are often the life of the party and people love being your friend.

Tap- You're an old soul who loves to get down. You have an inherent sense of rhythm and a bubbly personality. At the same time you are very nostalgic and sentimental. Don't be afraid to show off your personality both on and off the stage.

What Being A Dancer Has Taught Me About Life

I began dancing at the age of three because my parents were tired of me falling over and walking into things. I had no grace, poise, or basic motor skills, really. So I was dressed in a purple velour leotard with a rhinestone encrusted heart on the front and sent into my first ballet class with a bunch of clumsy, yet adorable toddlers. I don't think anyone could have guessed how much dance would effect  my life from that first class on. Being a dancer does not just mean "one who dances" it comes with an attitude and a special understanding of life. Here are just a few things being a dancer has taught and continues to teach me.

• Trust wholeheartedly. By dancing I have had to put my body's well-being in the hands of other dancers in order to execute a lift or trick. In the first moments of trying these new tricks, you have to put complete trust into your fellow dancers and yourself as well. It turns out in life, trusting yourself and being able to put faith in others will make your life 1000 times easier.

• Being goofy is necessary. Dance has helped me build incredible, supportive relationships with my peers. While we are inherently competitive with each other; there is also a lot of support and encouragement. With this comes a feeling of belonging and total comfort. In this environment I was able to let my goofiness go whenever I wanted. This built a lot of self-esteem, and now I feel more comfortable just being myself even around new people.

• If you act like you know what you're doing, no one will question you. This is something I live by, and I swear dancing installed this into my character. I can directly trace this back to being completely lost in choreography at a dance convention. I blanked on all the moves after a certain point in a jazz class, but kept freestyling with the attitude needed for the choreo. The teacher knew I messed up, but loved my passion, so she let me do it again by myself with the whole room watching, and I nailed it (choreo & attitude). From then on, I know I'm better off having confidence in myself because great things are likely to come.

• Commitment. You commit to your moves, and both you and your audience are moved. If you commit to something in your life (a job, a relationship, etc) great things will come. In life, I've found if you only give half your effort, nothing great can be accomplished.

• You will have to deal with difficult people. I had a little girl push me out of my spot in my first performance at three years old. Even then it was clear that I would have to deal with difficult people. Through dancing I learned how to talk to difficult people and figure out exactly what they needed from me without being rude. This skill became essential when I began working because oftentimes you will encounter a challenge in the form of a boss or a colleague. 

• Different is beautiful. Dance has taught me to feel comfortable standing out from the crowd. It is okay to not fit in perfectly, in fact, I tend to like having different opinions, styles, and ideas because dancing has given me the confidence to know that unconventional things are remarkable and should be shared.

Weird Things Dancers Do

Dancers have some pretty weird habits. Sometimes we don't even realize we do these things. Just know you might be a dancer if you've caught yourself doing these things, especially in public.

1) You crack your body parts all the time, especially your toes. Dancers know exactly which way to bend to relieve the pressure in their bodies, and we all know how good a little pressure on the tops of a pointed foot feels!

2) When you hear music, you start twitch-dancing. It's not pretty, but all dancers are guilty of this. You might be on the bus when a great song comes on when you catch yourself twitching to the rhythm.

3) You daydream about choreography. Either you find yourself thinking about choreography for class, or you start to imagine moves in your head. Then when you go to try the tricks you've made up, you may find out that bodies just don't quite move that way.

4) Whenever you sit on the floor, you end up stretching. It just seems natural to pull your legs into a butterfly stretch or even a full second position. Many dancers like to read or play on their phones while in a full on stretch without ever giving it a second thought. Dancers also never realize how they are so much more flexible than the average population. Reaching our toes is no big deal, but some people lose their minds when they see that we can set our chests completely flat against our legs.

5) You wear spandex shorts under just about every outfit. Dress? Spandex! Skirt? Spandex! Slouchy sweatpants? Spandex! You might be shocked to find out that most people don't consider spandex shorts an option with every outfit.

6) Throw their bodies around with little fear of damage. Dancers are fearless. If your instructor tells you to try a dare-devil move that might hurt a little, you go for it because you know going full out is less likely to hurt than bailing in the middle of it.