A grid of bingo about my childhood danceschool. At the top is a white text box that says 'Essential Energy Bingo!' In the middle of the grid is a tile that says 'EE Family with a purple heart emoji'. At the bottom is a text box to fill in your name which is blank. The background is a sickly pink plaid pattern. The grid has the following options to circle: 
- Old enough to have trained in the old studio: Taken an IDTA exam, Had your costume fitted by Joanie, Been to a presentation evening, Had a family member chaperone, Been taught by Dawn, Megan and Alex, Remember the old tap floor! Reworn a costume for fancy dress, Designed your own costume!! Had a mic on during the show, Had a really wuick change! Had a parent in the show, Been to Musical Theatre, Been in the 'Barkind Badger', Sat out because of an injury, Had Laura for tap, Bought a show DVD, Injured yourself at dance, Forgot an examiners name, Cried after a show! Had more than one pair of pom poms, Been in the second half, Had your hair done before an exam, Had a costume disaster after a quick change.

I think the closest I ever got to athleticism was attending the local dance school, Essential Energy, as a child and young teenager. I refused to do P.E at school because I hated doing hockey and netball in the freezing cold, but I spent an untold amount of hours at this tiny dance hall on an industrial estate in the Midlands.

Recently my sister sent me this bingo that a former student had made about the school that they had posted on Facebook. We couldn’t help but coming up with our own version because it was such a toxic place to be as a child learning about your body… so here it is, Essential Energy Bingo.. The Real Version (made in collab with my sister who would like to stay anonymous lol):

A grid of bingo about my childhood danceschool. At the top is a white text box that says 'Essential Energy Bingo!' In the middle of the grid is a tile that says 'EE Family with a purple heart emoji'. At the bottom is a text box to fill in your name which I have filled in with my name, Lulika. The background is a sickly pink plaid pattern. The grid has the following options to circle: Old enough to have trained in the old studio! Ridiculed by the school owner for not being able to afford all of the exams, Watched the school owner do her signature sexy solo routine in lingerie at the end of every school presentation show, cringed at all the popular kid's parents in the adult dance classes, Became aware of the rife ED culture in older students and teachers, Threatened with being held back if you didn't find a way to pay for the exams, Reworn a costume for fancy dress, Been required to bring ridiculous props to class with you.. bucket and mop anyone? Put at the back because you were struggling with the routine in the show, Had a really quick change! Made to sit outside on the floor of an industrial estate for hours during show rehearsals, Saw parents arguing with the owner, Heard rumours about the parents in the adult classes 'wife swapping' and falling out about it, Sat out because of an injury, Bullied by one of the popular girls, Forced to go to 'limbering' classes when you hit puberty where you got said injury, Injured yourself at dance, You still have the injury as an adult, Cried after class, Told your body was too undeveloped to be in the sexy second half of the show, Been in the second half, Told your hair was too messy for an exam, Had inappropriate comments made about your body.

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