penny.

Talk about a throwback Thursday - it's been 10 years since Britney Spears and Madonna teamed up in the "Me Against the Music" video.

I was dancing competitively as a jazz and tap student at the time, and remember one of girls, Penny, had just left the studio to pursue a professional career in dance.

To me, she had made it. Penny landed a backup dancer position in the video, "Me Against The Music". You can see Penny at the 1 minute and 40 second mark, when Britney and Madonna are dancing opposite each other through a wall - Penny is just off of Britney's right shoulder.

For me, this was my first brush at the professional world of dance - when someone you know makes it, it completely changes your perspective. I remember thinking that maybe one day, I could dance for Britney Spears.

Now, I may not be dancing for Britney Spears (but would in a heartbeat if she decided to revisit The Oynx Hotel Tour circa 2003), but I'm still performing professionally at various events, shows and across the city.

As I've written before, I'm now finding a niche and passion for instruction and choreography. Seeing may students emerge as performers after 13 weeks of serious training has made me feel that maybe, just maybe, I might be making it in my own way. P

I never thought that "Me Against The Music" would be a milestone for me - but it has reminded me just how many things can change, how my movement has changed and ultimately how my perspective has changed. Sometimes fulfilling your passion does not always mean being in front of the camera. Sometimes it's building up those who will be.

And I'm more than okay with that.

throwback.

It's never too late for a Throwback Thursday memory.

The hashtag #throwbackthursday (or #tbt) has emerged as a huge trend on social media, especially through the photo-sharing network, Instagram.

As a journalist, my natural tendency is to observe from both a distance and in the thick of it all. Like most trends, I thought Throwback Thursday would phase itself out over a few weeks. However, I think time is proving that it will be here to stay for awhile.

Slowly but surely, I have started to post my own photosr aging from a couple months to a couple years prior. As like-minded friends and I have shared funny, old and classic photos of each other, Throwback Thursday has become something I look forward to.

A few weeks ago, I had a major reality check/throwback. When I first moved to Toronto, I was still trying to get my feet on the ground and figure out where I wanted to work, dance, study, eat, et cetera. In the dance department, I tried out more studios and classes than I could shake a stick at.

I remember being in an open jazz class in 2009, watching an absolutely stunning dancer with beautiful technical training perform a combination across the floor. I had this moment (and I kick myself now for thinking this) where I said to myself, "Portia, you'll just never be that good. Let this dream go."

Over the next few years, I dabbled in the dance community, but put all my energy into school. When the dance bug bit me during my fourth year of university, I started taking more classes, choreographing and performing. Slowly, I found my self confidence and technique rising even more than I thought possible.

Now that I'm teaching, dancing and choreographing professionally, I try to take a moment and see how far I've come.

However, sometimes you can't choose those moments, I think they find their way to you. Mine happened in March while I was on stage performing in a sold out show. As I came up to my partner, she put her arm around me, looked me in the eye, and we continued along with the choreography. Front and centre in the piece, I realized my partner was that girl I had compared myself to in the studio only a few years before.

Of course I knew it was the same dancer long before this, but that was my "aha" moment, realizing how much has changed on my end.

I'm an avid believer in the throwback - they show us just how far we've come, and I can't imagine how much further we can go.

I can't wait to post a photo from that performance in a future Throwback Thursday.

Just a thought.