This Thursday I am thankful for the gift of dance.  Dancing is one of my biggest passions, when I dance I can feel that I am doing something that God made me to do and it is like I can feel Him smiling at me while I dance.  Dance is something I have loved nearly my whole life.  I took my first dance class when I was three years old and danced until I was nine.  I loved it and was devastated when I had to quit, but my dad was losing his job and my parents  couldn’t afford to put four girls in dance.  As the years slipped away I slowly accepted the fact that I wouldn’t ever get to dance again, but it made my heart hurt to think about it.  I wanted to dance so badly!  Finally, two and a half years ago I got a job that I could afford to pay for my own dance classes, the only problem was finding a studio in town that would accept an adult beginner.  After calling every studio in town that I knew about, I was driving home one day when I saw a studio I’d never seen before.  I decided to take a chance and call, but even as I was preparing myself to hear the words, sorry there’s no room for you, I was hearing yes, we’d love to have you come dance, in fact, why don’t you start this week?  I have been dancing ever since, I am now involved in nearly every subject, ballet, tap, jazz, modern, lyrical and hip-hop and I love every moment of it.  So after losing it and finally receiving it back, I am so thankful for the gift of dance this Thursday!

Leighton Michele

*photo credit goes to Meggan Marie Photography, these pictures were taken by Meggan after finishing my first year of dance.