Gratitude for the Gift of Dance by Michael Cornell

Something happened this week that left a lasting impression on me. A dear friend—someone kind, brilliant, and full of life—has been battling a severe health condition. He developed cervical spinal stenosis, which, at its worst, left him partially paralyzed. Imagine waking up one day and finding that your fingers, arms, and feet no longer function. That was his reality. A man still in his 40s, successful in the defense industry as a software engineer, suddenly unable to care for himself.

And yet, he endured with strength and grace. Thankfully, after a miraculous surgery, he’s made an 80% recovery. Though he still struggles with some mobility, he’s walking again, working again, and living his life with renewed spirit. We met for lunch the other day and then went to the gym together. I took him through some light exercises, including basic ballet movements—just trying to get his feet to point again, little by little. It was humbling, beautiful, and deeply inspiring.

Later that same week, another friend confided in me her frustrations about a dance instructor—someone not affiliated with ballet, and whose identity I’ll protect. Like many students, she was disappointed by her experience in class. And while her feelings are valid, it reminded me how easily we can take for granted the very opportunity to dance at all.

If you’ve ever felt let down by a class, discouraged by your own progress, or dissatisfied with your performance, I ask you to pause and reframe your perspective. The ability to walk, to move freely, to dance—these are extraordinary gifts. And dance itself? Dance is the celebration of that gift. It’s the hot fudge sundae of mobility.

Think of the young children training in ballet on dirt floors in parts of Africa, dancing with joy and passion despite having so little. They inspire me endlessly. Their circumstances do not diminish their love of movement—they amplify it.

So the next time you feel frustrated with yourself or your dance experience, try to remember how lucky we are simply to participate. To take a class. To move to music. To express ourselves through our bodies.

Ballet is not just a privilege—it’s a profound blessing, one many people around the world will never get to experience.

Dance with passion. Dance with joy. But above all, dance with gratitude. One day, none of us will be able to dance the way we do now. But the memories—the feelings—will stay with us forever.