By Jacob Ervin, Senior Reporter
Every Monday and Tuesday afternoon, business administration major Gracie Scarbrough drives to Kiowa, Kansas, to teach girls how to gain their confidence.
Scarbrough is a dancing instructor at Studio Pro Dance and Fitness and has been for the last four years, though dancing has been a part of her life for much longer.
Scarborough began dancing when she was 7 with CH Productions when it was in Alva.
Scarbrough credits dance with helping her grow not only as an artist, but as a person.
“Not only is it a form of expression, but I learned discipline and confidence through dance because I could express myself without having to speak or form the right words,” she said.
When CH Productions moved to Kiowa in 2012 and became Studio Pro Dance and Fitness, Scarbrough continued to dance with the studio rather than changing to one closer by.
Scarbrough continued to dance there all the way through high school and became an instructor with the studio after graduating because she was still close while attending Northwestern.
Scarbrough has spent her time in college balancing being a full-time college student and commuting 18 miles to the studio, where she teaches girls between the ages of three and 13.
She said she really enjoys the opportunity to help instill confidence in her students the same way her dance instructors did for her.
Scarbrough teaches a variety of recreational classes, including tap, ballet and tumbling.
For every class, Scarbrough takes her students through a variety of exercises, warm-ups and routines.
She said she likes to start all of her classes with ice-breakers to make everyone feel more comfortable working and training with one another.
Scarbrough said while she is unsure what the future holds for her after graduating this spring semester, she would love to continue teaching dance if the opportunity is there.