A time when I have experienced failure was when I got taken out of my dance recital. I had danced at this studio since I was three years old, and my older sisters had gone there from the same age. I missed dance class a few times before the upcoming recital. We had worked on learning our choreography for about two months. I was front and center in all the dances. There was a policy that was made the same week as I started missing practice. It was that if you missed three of each class, you couldn't be in the recital. I only missed two practices overall. Little did my teachers know; it was a tough time for my family. My dad was going through medical issues that I wasn't talking about. I attended practice on Thursday night for four hours. 

I worked extra hard to impress my teachers because I didn't want them to think I didn't care about the recital. That same night I was called out. My teacher scolded me in front of all my fellow peers. I was in tears. She told me I couldn’t be in any of the routines and perform at the recital next month. I worked hard to get where I was as a dancer, just to be let down so easily. I begged her not to do this to me, but she said I had to set an example for other members. As I was getting picked up, my entire car was full of my family. My mom quickly explained to me that my dad was in the hospital an hour away from home. He needed immediate surgery, it wasn't the right time to tell my mom all the money she spent at the studio and for costumes was going to waste. 

From going through the heartbreak and feeling like a failure, I ended up quitting the studio. I never wanted to dance again. I was so embarrassed about being called out in front of all my friends. I became depressed in the aspect that I wasn't good enough; If I was as good as my teachers told me, why would they let me go that easy? They told me I was an asset to their routines. My family encouraged me to not let this be the last of my experience with dance. I've danced for so long and without it, I felt lost. I felt as if I had no passion anymore because it was taken from me in just a few hours. A year later, I tried out for the dance team at my school and made varsity. The team was so welcoming and made me feel right at home. It filled the spot in my heart that was missing. I learned not to let one failure bring you down because a new possibility is waiting for you down the road. If I had stayed at my studio, I would've never had time for the dance team. At the end of the day, it was a blessing in disguise. I succeeded more on the dance team than I ever would've with studio dance. My technique, attitude, and passion for dance grew. I felt more confident than I ever was. 

The circle of growth was that I had the basics of dance but my process of growth was that I needed to believe in myself and grow as a dancer and person. With the technique I currently have, I feel confident enough to try out for a college team. I am still setting goals for myself every day. I feel that every day you are continually growing and learning from mistakes. But the truth is; when you fall down, you have to get back up.