DD is now 13

[danceintheblood]

Dd turned 13 a couple of months ago and just attended her first audition for a dance performance not attached to her ballet school. It is contemporary and the young dancers parrticipate in the choreographic process. After dropping her off, I went for a long walk with the mother of another girl from her school. We arrived back a little before the audition had finished and were able to watch the last half an hour. There in front of me was this beautiful lithe creature, dancing with confidence and grace and every cent spent and mile driven was worth it for that one moment.

 

We have had a difficult year with the loss of my job, my marriage and finances and all the other changes that have resulted. As my ex-husband also became ill and wasn't working, it has been a bit of a struggle to cover the ballet fees. Dd and I now have a lovely home, I have a new job, she is at a new school which she loves and is thriving at ballet, loving as much as ever, if not more so.

 

Dd (who is now a little taller than me - which she loves to point out at every opportunity!) is still a little girl in many ways, but when I see her in her dance environment I can see the young woman starting to blossom. Oh ... and how did she think the audition went - "it was just so much fun!!!". I don't think she's fussed whether she gets in or not because the audition experience itself was so enjoyable.

[dance1soccer1]

Those moments are so precious! Congrats to you for having the courage and strength to stick it out and help her enjoy her dream. We had one of those at the end of SI performance on Friday. Up on the stage were real dancers, doing "real" ballet. You could see the students they had been and the stars they can become. It was awesome. Even my husband got a little teary eyed!

[danceintheblood]

And she got the good news yesterday that she was one of 15 girls and 15 boys to be selected, so she is a happy girl. And she will actually get to dance with boys!!