by Mallory Peters / 8CA staff.writer

Maybe you find comfort in relating every action you make to your subconscious or some predetermined thought. Or maybe it’s something that you have learned and it has only become a habit that your life revolves around. I mean, I don’t know the right answer and I won’t judge you for what you believe, but I think dancers are faced with this question often, “why the heck do you do this?!”

I can tell you right now that it isn’t for the money. Even if you do find a way to the big time, it’s not something you will be able to survive off of easily, especially if you have to go to college and get those lovely loans. And if you don’t make it to NYC in some dance company or broadway show, you’ll probably be like the rest of us where you teach it or coach it and end up making $2 an hour. So again, why are we so deeply involved in this life?!

Not to mention alllllll of the hours you’re spending in the studio, gym or your room practicing and practicing to get you to where? Well, I don’t really know right now because I’m currently trying to figure out the same thing. And I’m truly convinced that my body has aged ten years faster than it would have if I’ve never danced. The amount of cracking that goes on when I wake up can’t be a good sign…

Then there’s all that money that goes into rehearsals and costumes and shoes and travelling… I really wish I could sell back some old dance costumes of mine but that would just be too gross and then I wouldn’t be able to pull it out of the closet when I’m feeling nostalgic and go, “wow I used to be that small!!”

This is going to be an open-ended question and it’s something 8 Count Audio wants to really dive into this season with all of you. So I’m thinking that this can be a mini-series that involves YOU, the reader. Message us and tell us why dance is your life! Or did it used to be your life? Or did you wish it wasn’t? Our community is really starting to grow stronger and I can’t see there being anything that bonds us even more than expressing our thoughts and feelings together! There is a lot of people out there who don’t know some of the hardships we take to do what we love and I want you to know that we understand you and we want to hear you.

So what is this section of 8CA? Let’s be real, we all mainly follow 8CA to read about how your team did or other teams. It’s the best way to get updates on all things competition! But 8CA is so much more than that. Yes, it also helps create music and is now starting to branch out in ways to help show the community, but we want you all to know that we are only here because of you. Coaches, parents, captains, understudies and literally everyone in between, Hearts on Our Sleeves is a chance for us to connect more than we ever have before! Can you handle it?