How My Daughter Found Her Love of Dance and Came Out of Her Shell
How it Started
Long before last summer, I noticed that our little one danced around the house and her room a lot, more than normal. Our oldest daughter danced for a few years, but our younger daughter never wanted to engage or learn it. We’d try, but she just wasn’t interested. I guess it was one of those things where she will show interest when she’s ready. One afternoon while folding clothes, I heard “Mom, come watch me, come see, look what I taught myself.” I found myself watching her move like it wasn’t anyone’s business. Each day was a different dance or a new move, getting more and more smiles from her, and good jobs from us. Not long after, it turned into “oh wait, do that again, yeah, you’re going to have to teach me that one.” She was getting better and better; you could genuinely see the improvement and the work she had in her to teach herself to stop, restart, reset, and do it again and again until she mastered the moves. It truly became her new thing!
Mom on the Hunt
I began speaking to friends and researching around locally for a possible dance place that offered just a summer trial to see if dancing was something she wanted to take on outside of the home. I stumbled across a dance studio that kept popping up every time I’d open Facebook or simply through a local Google search. This place offered tons of different styles of dance. I was particularly looking for hip-hop for our little one because she was overly ecstatic about this dance type. To my surprise, it wasn’t offered for summer, but just as a regular class. I ended up emailing the studio/owner to see if a hip-hop class would be coming up on their summer lineup. It was short and sweet, about a week long or so, but this was it, this is what we needed!!! I couldn’t sign her up fast enough and let me tell you, she ripped it out the gate on day one. I sat and watched her in action and my mouth hit the floor! Our shy little girl had said “Mom, I won’t know anyone, and I will probably not do good.” My words to her were “the only way for you to make more friends and get to know someone is to meet them for the first time. I promise you, you’ll be and do just fine!” Low and behold, by the time the week was finished, Mom was right!
Sign Me Up
I remember the smile on her face when she said this was it and asked me to sign her up for the real class. Knowing it was my intention since the first day, seeing how her face lit up, how she showed up to show out, and had learned even more than what she had taught herself. She was all signed up and ready for something new! We officially had a hip-hop diva on our hands for the second time, and it felt so good! Priceless moment indeed! While she anxiously waited for August to arrive and for the first day of class, it was our vacation time in the midst of it all. We headed out to the beach before the hustle and bustle of two new firsts, junior high school and a new dance studio. Rested a little, soaked up some sun, got our feet wet, and enjoyed the moments with family.
The Beginning of Something New
She patiently waited for the first day of class, and it had finally arrived. Thrilled was an understatement! From the first day of class to revue week, we had made the season. Perfect attendance to add to the list and an immaculate dance revue to finish it out. Hip-hop had become her new ordeal. Revue day(s) went perfect. She performed two nights in a row for us. Family and friends sat in awe watching her move all over the stage. The applause was great, the audience was cheering every act on as loud as they could because not only was her show amazing, Dance Connection’s entire entourage of dancers stole the entire show. We had embarked on the best dance studio for us all in the right moments. Grateful that it had given and showed our little one that you can absolutely do what your put your mind to. Hip-hop was what the doctor had ordered and DC delivered every aspect. Our little diva gave all the thumbs up and cannot wait for next season to arrive.
Let Them
Learning that each child is different and will always engage in different things and activities. As the years pass by, they get older and begin to feel what it is that inspires them or moves them to want to learn something new. It was in the moments of when our children would come to us and say they wanted to try this or learn that and the best way was to let them. They will never know their full potential without trying, but it is always a first step in everything. Even as adults, it’s a revolving door to finding things we like and things that we are good at, but it begins at the first sign of interest. Setting her mind to something and fully playing it out in its entirety proves to her that not only can she get it done, but the fear and shyness of starting something new is no longer existing as it did on day one!