curtain call
June 9, 2013 § 4 Comments
Last night the high school auditorium was hushed as rows of parents, siblings, and grandparents waited in the darkness for a familiar face to cross the stage. I knew from rehearsal when my daughter would enter and where she would stand among the young ballerinas, but I didn’t expect the rush of tears that betrayed my own emotions. More than watching the culmination of a year’s worth of Thursday afternoon practices, I was my daughter’s witness to a journey that began years ago.
Toddler arms outstretched to gather wind into her stride and eager twirls between footsteps, her joy and sense of self-expression extended beyond choreographed movement. This melody of movement accompanied us to her first dance lesson over five years ago where unkind words from her instructor introduced shame to joy. The little girl who so often invited dance into her daily movement became self-conscious of self-expression.
This fall my daughter asked to return to dance. She wanted to learn the graceful movements of a ballerina and fly again. The months between then and now have been a balance of hope and doubt, faith and fear. We returned each week to a gentle teacher who guided lessons with kindness and we honored our commitment until the final curtain call.
Moving forward, outside the lights and without the costume, I know that our new experience accompanies the old. My daughter’s footsteps may stray from the pink slippers of our Thursday classes, but her movements are inspired by her strength and informed by lessons in possibility.
scribblechic 
“Let Joy be unconfined!”…someone else said it but it still describes dance perfectly. BTW–daughter lives for dance too :>)
Mark Twain, I believe. I often wish I were less cautious in my own expressions of joy.
I’m in the process now of trying to teach my daughter about the importance of honoring our commitments. I love that your daughter asked to return to dance after that experience. Mine had a similar experience with dance a couple of years ago and is still intimidated to return. I hope someday she’ll decide to give it a go again. I want her to decide if dance is for her or not on her own terms.
The years between my daughter’s dance lessons created a circular path, two beginnings creating a new ending. My daughter’s sense of accomplishment upon completing this year’s class has allowed her to move forward more confidently toward new interests. Wishing you and your daughter a new beginning, too.