Growing as a teenager, and even now as an adult, I am often complimented on my leadership. What stands out is my attention to detail, compassion, and initiative. This is all thanks to being raised in a dance studio where these qualities of leadership are highlighted. We were expected to be leaders in the studio, not just in the competitive company. Leadership is valued just as much as dancing ability and talent. My studio’s leadership program creates weekly lessons on five character values: Trust, Serve, Love, Excellence, and Growth. Throughout my time as a dancer at my studio and as an original member of the leadership program, I found these five values quickly found themselves into my leadership skills, dancing, and life as a whole.

Meet Kalyn Hinklin, who is 11 years old. She lives in Dallas Texas and dances at The Dallas Conservatory. She can't wait until the summer when she will get to dance 24/7 all summer long.

Meet Ilyana, she is 6 years old. She is from Jakarta, Indonesia and she goes to Marlupi Dance Academy. She finds it difficult to memorize combinations.

Dance is a great way to get your PE credit, and gets you out of the house. There are so many reasons to enjoy dancing, but why do YOU enjoy dance? Is it the physical activity? Or because it’s a way to express yourself? We reached out to our dance community and asked them, why do YOU enjoy dance? Here’s what they had to say.

Meet Natasha G, 15, from NYC. She goes to American Academy of Ballet. She is working with other @studentswans and @worldwideballet to help a dance school in Nigeria, @leapofdanceacademy with dance equipment and gear.

Meet Emma Tomlinson, 14, from Vancouver, Canada. She goes to Goh Ballet Academy. One of the limitations She's dealt with is sometimes being too hard on herself to be perfect every time she dances.

Meet Glee Dango, 10, from Stouffville. She goes to ON Elite Danceworx. She got a lead role on a TV Series.

While there may never be an end to the dance season, there is (thankfully) an end to school. And with that, many seniors are going off to college. So this article is dedicated to all the relationships between the older and younger dancers at the dance studio. The seniors have become role models for the younger dancers to look up to. So when the younger dancers get older, they can become great role models, too. And when the older dancers leave the dance studio for college, they know they have made a difference in a dancer’s life.