Live to dance?
We had a treat this past weekend. We watched our granddaughters dance in their yearly recital. They’ve done competitive dance for the past 7 or 8 years. They practice for hours every week, with only 6 weeks off during the summer. The commitment is big, but both of them are dedicated.
My oldest granddaughter Michaela, is a medical miracle, and every time I watch her dance I’m reminded of this (she’s on the left in the photo below). She was premature (3 1/2 lbs at birth). When she was 4 she had a chest x-ray for a cough that wouldn’t go away. The radiologist discovered, quite by accident, that she has 3 fused discs in her spine. She was referred to a spinal specialist, put through testing and she’s met with him every year for follow-up. We all honestly expected the worst and she may still have some tough times ahead, but the doctor can’t believe her flexibility and growth. He’s told us that he’s never seen anything like it and he attributes it directly to dancing.
Our younger granddaughter Alyssa is also a dancer. She’s filled with the grace and movements of a ballerina.
Alyssa’s in the right front in the photo below.
I say thank you in my prayers for what dancing has given to each of them.
I’ll finally be doing some sewing with my granddaughters next week and we’ll start working on some more projects for Sewing with Kids. Summer’s finally here!
17 Comments
kitty
You are really blessed, Anne, with two talented granddaughters! Dancing is a wonderful thing!
To me it has often been a physical response to being happy or being sad. When I suffered from stress, dancing helped me getting back into balance again. How wonderful your granddaughter found dancing to miraculously improve her physical condition!!
The way people dance can show a lot about their personality.For me the first picture is interesting, because your ( beautiful) granddaughter really gives away that she’s a fighter. The position of her hands, that differs from the conventional position adopted by the other girls, suggest to me resistance, pushing back. Nevertheless she performs like the others.
I hope your granddaughters will continue to enjoy dancing as they do now, but I also hope they will enjoy quilting: another wonderful way to express yourself. I’m sure they have the best teacher here!
Linda V
My daughter and I both took dance (ballet) until high school. We both love dance to this day. Now, my grandaughter who is just 4 has started dance. There is nothing more exhilarating that watching a dancer! Love hearing about your miracle granddaughter, too. Thanks for sharing the pictures!
Mary Ann
My daughter did competitive dancing too all the way through high school and even though she didn’t face the health challenges she loved it so much! And learned so much about hard work, commitment and teamwork, skills that still serve her well. And how I I remember the those joyful smiles…thanks for sharing!