I took dance, and somehow, I managed to avoid this fate. I’m not sure if this wasn’t offered where I took classes, or if my parents just opted out. Either way, I’m glad, because I am the queen of awkward photos. I never know what to do with my face or my arms in full-body shots. I feel like this might be the reason why there aren’t a whole lot of photos of me from when I was a kid.

I don’t know if they tell you how to pose for these pictures or if they just leave you to figure it out, but I cant help but laugh at the stiff awkwardness that exists in almost all dance school photos. I can just picture a 7-year-old me, all decked out in my dance gear, feeling cute…until they tell me to pose. Cue the uncomfortable smile (there might as well be a huge red question mark painted on my face) and sloppy ballet stance.

My dad’s family owned a dance studio for a while, so there are quite a few of these photos floating around of my cousins…but none of me. Thank you mom and dad for not immortalizing my awkwardness in a horrible dance school photo. Check out some ladies who weren’t so lucky, below.

Do you have any dance school photos?

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