After I graduated from college, I realized I needed a 'third place' to stay sane and social. A new hobby helped me find it.

"Two years ago, I found myself sitting in my car outside a dance studio for my first ballet class. I laughed a little as I texted a friend that I was nervous to go inside. I was 23, and my last experience with any sort of dance had been many years prior. I also had no natural musicality. Though I'd always been captivated by dancers and enchanted by the natural work ethic of prima ballerinas,"

"As a recent college graduate who'd been feeling stuck in my daily work-from-home routine and missing my long-distance friends, finding a place where I could build a community and escape life's stresses felt especially relevant. Little did I know that years later I'd still be returning to ballet classes week after week."

At 23, the narrator sat outside a dance studio before a first ballet class, nervous after years without dance and lacking natural musicality. Captivation with dancers and admiration for prima ballerinas' work ethic motivated stepping out of a comfort zone to find a social "third place" beyond home and work. As a recent graduate feeling stuck and missing distant friends, the studio offered a way to build community and relieve stress. Regular attendance became a long-term habit. Instruction emphasized deliberate, graceful movements, and peer camaraderie eased learning. The practice improved technique, fostered friendships, and taught lessons carried beyond the studio.

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