Tom R.

Empowering lives through Dance I’ve thought about that line at the top of Anna’s page many times as she has enthusiastically corrected my attempts at dancing. It has been a life long desire for me to learn to dance, and I think I can say with some confidence that I have achieved toddler status. That is not to mock what Anna has accomplished, because thanks to her excellent teaching, I have accomplished a couple of things in addition to the basics. I had the joy of a choreographed dance with my daughter at her wedding, and I was able to go onto the dance floor after the ceremony and have a great time. In addition to that Anna challenged me to learn a choreographed dance routine that she created for a regional showcase. I had the privilege of dancing with her in front of a crowd, as did several other of my fellow students, and it was very challenging and rewarding. Anna seems tirelessly creative, and impossibly patient. I wanted to say thank you this holiday season for the way she has changed my life with dance, and came up with a simple acrostic that speaks to some of the tools she’s taught me on this journey. Determination: when those feet just will not go where they're supposed to, relax and try again Attitude: stay positive, have fun Natural: Everyone learns at their own pace, be yourself Confidence: Believe you can do this and hold that damn frame! Excellence: Always seek your very best, wherever it is that day.