Dancers and their Dance Moms

I never imagined that Abby would love dance the way she does. My older girls didn't get the dance gene, they are vocal girls.

When Abby was 4 and we lived in Hawaii, she asked me to "...go to ballet school dot com..." and sign her up for a class. I have no idea where the idea came from.  We didn't know anyone taking dance classes except her cousin, living thousands of miles away that we had never actually seen dancing in person.

So I did.  Ballet Hawaii.

She did two years of ballet there, and fell in love.  Ballet is still her favorite genre, even though she now takes approximately 10 hours of dance per week.

This is her first year on a competition team.  It's something new and exciting and scary for both of us.  As I type, she is waiting off stage for the call timefor her first performance.

I know she's not nervous.  It's actually the opposite for Abby.  She finds comfort, joy, peace and true love in dance.  There are 7 girls and one boy on her team, ages 8-11. They are as thick as thieves, all of them.  And the older dancers take them in as well.  When I brought Abby to the dressing room, there were shouts of "Abby!! Abby's here!!" I know that there is no feeling like the feeling of acceptance, the feeling of comraderie, teammanship.  (Is that a word?)

Dance completes her.  Truly.

I can't wait to see her perform.  I can't wait to see her in her element.  The place where she feels at home.

She told me recently - again - that she wants to have a dance-related career.  There is absolutely no doubt in my mind.  I know that's where she is headed, because I see it in her eyes.  When we talk about dance, when she arrives or leaves the studio, when we are doing anything remotely dance-related.  Her eyes light up and she glows.  It's amazing to watch, and it warms my heart.

I love that girl.  And she's going to kill it today, I know it.

I'll let you know later how she does....

:-)