And another one down....

Another successful dance recital has come and gone.....this year was a little easier on me than last year because I didn't dance in any dances at all. I only had to work in a teacher capacity and everything went pretty smoothly as far as that goes. My greatest achievement of the weekend came Saturday afternoon - my class of babies (3- and 4-year olds) was all ready for their first recital - they looked precious in their tutus and ballet slippers - but one, the youngest one, was completely overwhelmed by the backstage ruckus, and clung so tightly to her mother's legs that I thought she was trying to climb back into the womb. After convincing Mom to leave, I took Baby Ballerina into my arms and we removed ourselves from some of the din and found a quiet place to sit and chat. Mainly she just leaned up against my chest and hid her tear-streaked face from the world, but the more we talked the more she relaxed, and soon I had her waiting in the wings on her own two ballet-shoed feet, attached to me now only by her little hand. Would she go on stage? Would her mother get to see her Baby Ballerina's debut into show business? I gave her all the Teacher Love and Kindness I could muster up, and she did, indeed, go on. She danced, she smiled - SUCCESS! This is why I do what I do.....the smell of the grease paint, the roar of the crowd.....and the smiling faces of my dancing little girls when they come off that stage and hug me. I love it.