Preparing for Your First Year in College Dance

For the first time in 18 years, I am moving away to a new city and dancing with people that I have never met before. I’m hundreds of miles away from my family and friends that have made me into who I am today and my beloved dance community that I have had around me for the last 8 years. While this is going to be a drastic change in my life, I know that I am not alone. I know that there are thousands of other dancers across the country and even the world that are experiencing the same uneasy feeling as me.

Getting to Know Director of Inventory Riley Hendrickson

Riley says that there are countless reasons why she loves working at Dancewear Center, but one of her top ones is the community that’s come along with the job. She appreciates that she gets to work in a comfortable space where young people are given the opportunity to learn and grow free of judgement and excessive pressure. “I’m supported, genuinely cared for, and encouraged to put myself first,” Riley says. She says that as a general manager, Samantha’s care for DWC’s employees shines through, allowing staff members to pay her kindness forward towards customers and community members.

Getting to Know Assistant Store Manager and Senior Pointe Shoe Fitter Anna Peters

From studying and teaching dance to fitting pointe shoes and helping customers as a Senior Pointe Shoe Fitter and Assistant Store Manager at Dancewear Center, dance consumes Anna Peters’ life. And she wouldn’t want it any other way! Read on to learn more about DWC Staff Member Anna Peters’ personal dance journey, goals for the future, and the changes she hopes to see made in the larger dance industry.

Getting to Know DWC Blog Editor Nicole Barrett

Nicole enjoys writing for the DWC Blog because she gets to learn about other peoples’ stories and relationships with dance. She points out that in everyday dance training, it’s rare that dancers discuss how dance has helped shape their lives. Hearing the stories of others has opened Nicole’s eyes to what dance can do for people and the capacity that it has to transform lives. Through conducting and transcribing interviews, she also feels a stronger attachment to the local dance community in Seattle and a greater understanding of its interconnectedness.