Coming Out of Retirement
I Felt I Lost My Identity When I Prematurely Retired from Dancing
I had become a shadow of my former self and felt I had lost my identity
Having been involved in the dance world for decades as a student, competitor, studio-owner, choreographer, aerobics instructor, and belly dancer, it was hard to change my life and walk away from all this — but I did.
I was sure I was ready for retirement until I saw the effect it had on me.
Part of the reason I thought I was ready was physical, some emotional, and some financial but I quickly discovered I made a mistake.
When I first started dancing it became more than a hobby. It was a lifestyle. Starting out at a studio where I took hundreds of classes then became a teacher myself both at the studio and other venues, my life was so filled with dancing it became a second full-time job.
New venue
That studio eventually changed hands and I ventured out on my own renting space wherever I could find it, increasing my classes to more venues, becoming a DJ giving lessons at parties, and more. I almost burned myself out until I retired from my day job.
