And just like regular literacy and language, it changes and improves over the years and as I continue to progress. The more I practice dance and art, the better I will be and the more I will learn. I started learning to dance when I was 4 years old and just as the words I spoke were simple and small, the dance moves I knew how to do were the same. Dance lessons consisted of pink tutus with canvas flats and lots of hairspray and bobby pins. You could hear loud classical music being played by the teacher telling us what the 8 count combination was in French. But as I grew up and continued to practice 3 hours on weekdays and 5 hours on weekends, the more I excelled. I achieved more advanced dance moves along with better control and technique. But as I grew up and took on more things, I realized how much of a language my dance really was and what I could really express while doing it and using it to its fullest potential. I realized that I could use it to tell stories about events I had experienced that had affected me and changed who I was. I might use it to bring to light a certain topic or problem that I might be facing at the time. And I realized that it would become what I have used to help me cope and express myself throughout my life. It helped me express my feelings without having to use it