1) My body aches every day when I get home, but it hurts so good. Those aches and pains mean I'm dancing daily and I wouldn't have it any other way.
2) I have an excuse to spend lots of money on iTunes without feeling guilty.
3) It is hard. Each hour, day, week, presents new challenges to work through and overcome. It's invigorating.
4) I got paid today. Oh, sweet salary, how I love you.
5) There is plenty of daily, personal pondering time a.k.a a long commute.
6) I get to say the Pledge of Allegiance every day. :) It's a constant reminder, "Oh yeah-I DO love America!"
7) I have the opportunity to do butt-loads of choreography. Nothing stimulates my brain more.
8) Everyone around me thinks I'm an amazing dancer. I love the times when the dancers finish a combination going across the floor, and look to me for approval. It makes me want to be better.
9) It makes me laugh. Have you ever seen a beginning dancer who's learning how to spot and do chaine turns? It is hilarious, and terribly endearing. Just ask me to do an impression of one of my favorites...
10) For this reason alone: I was a little worried about starting my beginning dancers with barre work, thinking they might get bored with it. There are also a few girls in one class who are little tom-boys so I didn't think they'd get too into it. But then I noticed something when we were at the barre going through the ballet positions. I told the dancers to look at themselves in the mirror so they could check their alignment. With her arms in fifth position above her, one of the girls peeked around to the mirror, smiled to herself and held her head just a little higher. I knew at that moment that she felt pretty. My heart swelled.
These last few weeks have already been full of ups and downs, but this blessed job is so worth it.
--For those of you who don't know, I teach dance full-time at a charter school. Seven classes, two times a week, an hour-and-a-half each. Three day weekends, every weekend and all the regular school breaks... I could go on and on about all the perks to this job... :)
