The music begins and she glides across the smooth floor, releasing her emotions through the movements of her body, allowing others to gaze at the story she creates and witness her fiery passion within. Senior Sarah Paperi has danced at 2014 graduate Carley Fine’s dance studio, Perception Dance Company, since July 2015.

In a matter of about two months, Fine said she created Perception Dance Company in 2015 as a way to incorporate her love for children, dance costume and dance into a career.

Paperi said her decision behind changing dance studios was due to drama at her old studio, Powerhouse Dance.

“The studio I was at before (Powerhouse Dance) there was a lot of drama there and kinda a lot of not so good things happened the last year I was there,” Paperi said. “When I found out [Fine] was opening her studio I just decided it would be a better fit for me than the studio I was (at). I just trust Carley and knew it would be a good experience.”

Paperi said that since she has known Fine for such a long time, she has placed a lot of trust in her, and that their relationship is more that just dancers.

“Carley is a very inspirational and motivational person,” Paperi said. “She’s not hard to talk to, she’s very easy to talk to, and understands me. So she has

definitely helped me improve a lot. She definitely kind of motivates me and challenges me to be better than I am.”

Fine said she teaches around five hours a night during the work week and then around fourteen hours on Saturdays and Sundays. Paperi said she dances on Monday and Wednesday nights.

Fine said she hopes to be considered a role model in Paperi’s dance career as far as motivating and instructing, and Paperi agrees with these statements.

“[Fine] inspires me, because, well she just opened her own dance studio, which is a huge thing. I mean most people are still trying to go through college and figure out what they want to do and she just kinda took everything head on and took responsibility and is successful,” Paperi said.

This relationship between the two dancers is sisterly and has mutual gain that each person obtains from the other according to Fine.

“No matter what day you’re having, like if you’re having a bad day, you can go to dance and the people there will always cheer you up and like you can just dance however you’re feeling,” Paperi said.