I fell in love with myself because I fell in love with dance

Dance has ruined people.

And it's their teacher's fault.

There, I said it. The teacher probably didn't mean to - they probably just passed down the same ways of teaching dance that they were raised in.

But we know better now. The science shows us better.

The first dance class I taught, we started class by having the kids stand like a starfish and get measured with a tape. Their number was said out loud as the assistant wrote it down.

It might seem harmless, but in that moment, I knew one day I was going to rethink everything that was perceived as "normal" and create my own ways of teaching dance.

I was blessed to have the best dance teacher ever for my introduction to ballet. Ballet was not a forcing of the body to do something unnatural, it was an exploration of our natural alignment, releasing of tension, and power.

I fell in love with myself because I fell in love with ballet. And most people can't say that.

Dance is a powerful tool. Teachers hold the responsibility.

If your kiddo is not falling in love with themselves from dance class, something is wrong.

You need to find a new teacher.

P.S. There are many different purposes for dance. A pre-professional track, many of these concepts are a bit less applicable. I just need to clarify for those parents out there who hope their kiddo can go pro.

For the 99% of us who aren't going to be professional dancers, we need to take a hard look at what kind of dance education your kiddos are being exposed to.