We’re both honored and extremely blessed with the opportunity to play a role in the lives of so many dancers. Some dancers we get to know only for a short time and with others we have the opportunity to be part of their lives year after year. No matter the length of time, this is an honor we cherish. And no matter if a student has danced with us as a recreational student or as a competitive dancer, we absolutely love when we can keep in touch and celebrate with them as they move through life.
We wanted to be able to share the sentiments of our dancers with you, in their own words. We’ll be sharing their stories (and photos!) here over time.
Here is Taylor Stradinger in her own words:
“Hello Everyone! My name is Taylor Stradinger and I graduated from Northland’s senior company in 2020. While that was the first year of covid schedule craziness, I am so thankful that I was able to at least spend the start of my senior year dancing in-person with some of my best friends.
“When it came time to “close the yearbook,” I quite frankly couldn’t do it. Northland has always been a home to me, a safe place if you will. Every time I walk back into the studio it’s like I never left. I am instantly greeted by Barb and Ashley with the biggest hugs and asked about what is new in my life. That’s something that I especially love about Northland – you aren’t just another dancer. Barb and Ashley take time to get to know every student and will help in any way they can.
“Last year, I came home from winter break and was bored out of my mind. I knew deep down that I wanted to go back to the studio and teach. Even though I was done dancing, I knew I needed to be involved somehow. I absolutely love working with all the kids. The smiles on their faces when they finally get a trick, or watching them work so hard in class to go and kill it on stage, is what makes me want to come back. I may be biased, but Northland truly has some of the best students and staff around and I would not be the person I am today without them.”
