WOW, here we are! I have been reading senior bios for so many years and truly cannot believe it’s my turn!  CPAC has been my second home for the past 13 years & now I am writing my final goodbyes and my time here is coming to an end. I am not sure it’s possible to put into words how much this place means to me, so I’m gonna do my best!

I joined the team as a 5-year-old and immediately fell in love. I remember the days when I would only go to the studio Tuesdays and Thursdays and on Mondays and Wednesdays I would be impatiently waiting to get back to class. Around the age of 7, I moved up to the competition team. I started learning the importance of commitment, hard work, discipline, kindness, and most importantly family. Every single person, from dancers to teachers is family in my heart, they have all changed my life for the better and I don’t know how to say thank you enough.   

From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank Nancy Laurie for providing such a beautiful, safe, welcoming studio. If it weren’t for you and your generosity I would not be where I am today. You opened doors to life-changing opportunities I never thought I would experience. Thank you for everything you do! Jen Lee, first I want to say this team would not be what it is today if it weren’t for you. You have been by my side through all my years on the competition team, teaching me everything to know about dance & more importantly to be a kind human. You have shown me the importance of the story behind a dance & how powerful and moving a piece can be when executed just right. You taught me class etiquette, professionalism, and how to stay humble. I love you, you will always be my second mom. Kristen, I have grown to love dance way more than I ever would have imagined & this is because of you. Having a solo choreographed by you changed my way of dancing. You are the one person who showed me how to break out of my shell and truly be me when I perform. It never would have happened without you. Your ballet classes challenge and teach me to never give up. Your radiant energy can brighten any room which has made me find my soft spot for ballet. Thank you so much for being such an inspiration to me and all my teammates. Tessa, I remember my very first solo with you. I was scared but you always made me feel comfortable when it came to performing alone. Thank you for pushing us in every rehearsal, and thank you for being the best role model a teenage girl could ask for. Jordan, your choreography never fails to amaze me. You put so much effort and time into every one of your dances, and it really shows. You single-handedly taught me jazz, contemporary, improv, hip-hop, and even how to walk properly in heels :). You have been a very big part of my life and I thank you for everything you’ve taught me. Thank you so much to Jamie and Ashley, you can take a choreographer’s vision and turn it into the most beautiful and unique creation, I am so grateful for each of you and love how you bring our dances to life. 

Thank you to Olivia, Dad, my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and most importantly my Mom. You are my #1 supporter and I love you so so much. I will never have words to say how thankful I am that you brought this place into my life. Not only did I have to have dedication to this team but so did you. No matter how many times I performed the same dance you were always watching and cheering me on. Although I’m very sad my time at CPAC is coming to an end, I will always cherish the moments I’ve had at this studio. It’s a little scary to look at my life without this amazing place but I know that everything I’ve learned will stick with me forever. Sincere thank you to everyone at this studio, I love you all! ❤ CHAKA OUT!! ❤