It’s Mother’s Day this weekend, and we could not be more excited to celebrate all of the mothers in our lives. You make our world go ’round, and we are eternally indebted to you.

Here at Dance Teacher, some of our favorite mother figures out there are actually dance teachers. Yes, many of them have babies of their own, but that’s not what we’re talking about. We are talking about how they nurture and raise their dance students as their own.

Check out our list of 9 reasons why dance teachers should be celebrated as second mothers this Mother’s Day.

1. Dancers spend more time with their teachers than they do their actual parents.

But like that’s actually a fact.

2. Teachers know every detail of their students’ lives—dance or otherwise.

Students do their homework at the studio between classes and tell teachers all about their crushes/relationship troubles. We could essentially write our students’ biographies one day.

3. Teachers are aware of every ache or pain their dancers have ever had.

“Miss Suzie! I have a tummy ache, my hip pops every time I battement and I’m thirsty.”

4. Teachers constantly have to remind students not to forget things.

I mean, who does that other than your mother?

5. Teachers bring extra food and snacks places just in case one of their students gets hungry.

How much more mom-like can you get?

6. Teachers are just as involved in their students’ college application processes as their parents are.

“OK, you have your Marymount Manhattan audition this weekend, Pace the next, and then you need to really push yourself to get ready for Juilliard three weeks from now.”

7. Teachers almost always get invited to their old students’ weddings.

And they’ll be the one to catch the bouquet—with perfectly pointed toes, obviously!

8. Teachers feel like they’re losing their own children when their students graduate.

The end of the year recital is equally as devastating as it is celebratory.

9. Teachers would do anything for their dancers.

They really would! Isn’t that something?