Here's the next beginning:
One thing led to another thing in our connections with business owners in St.Joseph. Lara was doing private lessons with Jan Gallo at her dance studio in St.Joe. When the fall started, I was trepid to ask Jan if Lara could try out a dance class with other kids. My thought was that this would be a great way for Lara to do therapy. It would be fun and meaningful (because she has a goal to learn a dance routine). Plus, she would meet other children, and this might encourage her to try harder in order to keep up with the other girls in her class. So Jan suggested baton class, a class that strengthens balance and coordination. The class was small, and this was a huge plus because it meant Lara could get a little more individualized attention if necessary. We tried it out and it looked like it would work out well.
However, I honestly had no expectation after that initial point of realizing she could keep up fairly well with the other girls. I didn't think she would be able to handle a dance recital. I wasn't trying to make her a good dancer. I just wanted to see her stretch and move and balance.
We practiced a lot at home. I wanted to show Lara how improvement comes with practice. She did improve and her confidence soared each time she mastered a new trick. I wanted to show Lara the value of hard work. And I wanted her to be able to keep up with the other girls. But I didn't want her to be a great dancer, or be great at baton. To me, her success was measured in her improvement in her gross motor skills. She was learning how to balance while moving quickly in short steps. She was getting great stretches in her arms. She was moving and twirling and focusing on her body. Success.
But soon the class was ordering the dance costumes and I felt I was in a tight spot. Lara wanted to do the recital; I didn't want her to. Could she keep up? What if she fell on stage? Deep down, I knew a lot of it had to do with the community. It is a more sports-oriented, performance-driven community. Would they judge or pity? Would they accept and encourage? Why in the world do I care?
But I knew if there were really an issue here Jan would tell me. I had every confidence in her, so I sat back with my fingers crossed, for extra measure.
Lara did her dance recital yesterday afternoon. I felt nervous for her beforehand-the same questions loomed: would she fall? Would it all be too much? The curtains opened to show the twirlers, and Lara was beaming. She was loving it. And in that very moment I knew that I did not care at all what happened, because Lara was having a great time, and that's all that mattered.
She twirled herself around the stage, smiling, obviously enjoying herself. She threw her ribbon all about and shook her poms. She did almost fall once, but she balanced herself (success!) and got back into the game. All the girls were great, sweet, and very nice to one another. Lara was really sad to say good-bye to them all. Lara did amazing.
I know it might seem like I am making such a big deal out of a short 3-min dance routine for these little kids. But I know some people will understand that it IS such a big deal to me, a mother who wondered when my daughter would walk alone, took her to endless therapy sessions, discusses medications and treatments. A mother who was told her daughter has cerebral palsy, and simply will not be able to keep up with her friends. So to her see her dancing across the stage, and loving every minute of it, it is a huge deal to me. I am relieved, and very happy for my daughter. And very thankful to Jan and Sophie for making this possible for Lara. Lara had a great first year at dance!
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