A few weeks ago, I was talking to a friend on the phone and he made the comment that he has a hard time believing that I was actually a dancer in my younger days. It made me laugh because honestly, he isn’t the first!
As I’m sure most of you have noticed in your own lives, people have a tendency to pigeonhole each other into small boxes without even realizing it. I know that I do it! And, let’s face it: when you read an individuals’s blog or tweets or Facebook status, you really only grasp who they are right now in life, as well as who they are choosing to present to the world, you know? The online world can be a tricky, tricky thing!
Having said that, I am obviously not a dancer anymore and I can understand why that is so baffling to those who meet me now. Typically, you don’t run into too many mountaineer/mountain biker/outdoor enthusiasts who were former ballerinas! (Granted, there are a few of us, but not too many!) So, I decided to offer up some proof in the form of pictures!
And, for the record, no mocking allowed. Stage makeup is a part of the package even though it makes you look hideous in person!! Just be glad I couldn’t find any pictures from my studio days…. those costumes would make you cringe!!
Phase #1: The High School Years. Yes, back in high school, I was captain of my dance team! We were actually pretty good and won the state championship my senior year. I will say that the memories I made from this team are by far my most favorite from my teenage years! We danced at football and basketball games and did the typical high school deal.
Remember my best friend Angel that I ran the half with on Sunday? She and I actually met back in middle school and have been friends forever… including on our high school dance team! Do we look young or what?!
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| I have no idea why I am as white as a ghost. Sigh. |
Phase #2: The College Years. When I originally started at the University of Colorado, I decided to quit dancing and focus on other stuff. Because of this, I took my freshman year off and started to learn to rock climb, mountaineer, and backpack (and so it began…!) However, I really missed the thrill of performing, so I tried out for CU’s competitive dance team and spent my sophomore and junior years as a member of the Buff Gold Dance Team. While we didn’t perform at school sporting games, we did travel to various competitions around the country. You can only imagine the chaos a group of 20-something girls got into when traveling to Las Vegas, Daytona Beach, Chicago, and Los Angeles…..yeah.
Let’s just say that those memories will stay locked away in my brain forever!
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| My sis and me after one of our team competitions in Chicago at the Navy Pier |
Please note the eyeshadow. Yes, that it shimmery AND blue! The lipstick and the blush were just added bonuses.
Phase #3: After College. During March of my senior year, there was news circulating the dance world that the Colorado Rapids, Denver’s MLS team, were auditioning for a new dance team. I was unsure as to whether I wanted to continue dancing after college, so I liked the idea of a less-stress team (when compared with either the Denver Nuggets or Broncos dance teams.) Practices were only once per week and the time commitment was significantly less than either Nuggets or Broncos. We got paid less, but it was a decent trade off 🙂 Because of this, I decided to audition just to see what the after-college, professional dancing world was about. I ended up making the team and spent one year as a Rapids dancer.
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| It’s a picture of a picture. Cut me some slack 🙂 |
With the Rapids, I got to do a lot of cool things. We performed at games, of course, but I also got to meet Bon Jovi! He used to own an arena football team that came to play the Denver team. We danced at the game and Bon Jovi watched us warming up before the game. He was a super nice guy and still could rock the tight jeans 🙂
I also got to fly in a Black Hawk helicopter with the National Guard as part of a drug-free campaign. They flew us to a bunch of mountain towns to perform for the kids, and I was totally captivated by the helicopter flight. Far and away my favorite experience from my year on the team!
So, what do you think? Is that enough evidence?!
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Do you have a certain aspect of your life that people always find surprising?
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