Most boys in high school enjoy playing sports, eating lots of fast food, or playing video games. Most boys in high school do not enjoy plies or pirouettes. This year, I took a dance class to fulfill my fine arts requirement, and I gained much more than I thought I would.

Before this year, I had never danced in front of anybody besides my teammates after a close win for celebration in the locker room. After almost a full year, I have danced on stage almost 10 times, and it has been a truly amazing experience. Not only did I bond closely with my classmates, I actually had fun dancing, especially in this most recent showcase.

Starting on Wednesday, the process for my last ever showcase started. I got to hang out with my friends watching tons of talented dancers from both Wesley Chapel and Cypress Creek. I dispelled all my nerves and prepared myself for an excellent show the next night. If you are an athlete or a performer of any kind, you know the feeling before a big test of talent in front of a large crowd. It is exhilarating, and even though I do not consider myself a dancer, the feeling still crashed over me. I felt the pull from the bottom of my stomach, the tingling sensation from my head to my toes, the rush of adrenaline that makes you feel unstoppable, and the stretching of your cheeks because of the giant grin on your face. When that happened, I knew I was ready.

Before I knew it, I was standing next to my friends on stage bowing for the last time, staring out into the packed auditorium searching for familiar faces. I was so proud of myself, and then the music started. The curtain was lowering, music was blaring, and all the performers were celebrating, and rightly so. Not many people, guys, in particular, can say they successfully went through a full year of dancing on stage, and it felt so great to have the pressure melt away, knowing I made it. We were all singing and dancing, but with a carefree mentality that we haven’t felt since starting this class.

Dance this year was a neat, fun experience that really made me branch out. Dancing for Ms. E with my friends in this last show was amazing. It isn’t the dancing that is hard, it is mustering the courage to do so in front of people, and I am proud to say I did.