| Teri was 5. As younger siblings do, she looked up to | | | | Then, to the "ahhhh, aren't they cute"'s of the |
| her oldersister, the dancer, in a big way. Sara was 4 | | | | packed house, thecurtain lifts to reveal Teri's class of |
| years older and wasexcelling in ballet, tap and jazz. | | | | little tykes all in a line lookingnervously around under |
| So we enrolled Teri in the same dance school and | | | | the bright lights. At one end of the line was |
| she reallyseemed to enjoy the lessons and her new | | | | Teri, with her bulky cast in plain view and her hands |
| friends. She was now, ofcourse, a dancer, like her | | | | tucked in thewhite muff in the starting position for |
| sister. And Teri very much looked forwardto the | | | | "the Muff Dance." |
| climax of her first dance season, the year-end dance | | | | The moment arrived and music started. Teri didn't. |
| recitalthis school put on. | | | | She just stoodthere, still as a statue, while her |
| If you've ever been a dance parent, you of course | | | | friends slipped into their well-rehearsed routine. |
| realize that theobligation is quite large. Aside from the | | | | Was she nervous? Did she forget her steps? Did her |
| weekly lessons, scheduledon different days in our | | | | foot hurt? |
| case, there is the extra investment of timeand | | | | Then, as if on cue, she gracefully took her left hand |
| money preparing for the 'big event' - extra lessons | | | | out of the muffand raised it to her face, inserted her |
| andrehearsals, fittings for the completely different | | | | index finger into her nostriland with the precision of a |
| head-to-toe costumerequired for each dance number | | | | Texas oil driller, began a full-scaleexploration of the |
| and a parents meeting for eachdancer to make sure | | | | orifice that seemingly wouldn't conclude until shehit |
| everyone was on the same stage come recitalnight. | | | | paydirt! That's my girl! |
| Baseball parents have it easy! | | | | Needless to say, the place erupted into hysterical |
| As fate would have it, Teri had surgery to lengthen | | | | laughter thatoverrode the loud music. I began to |
| her heel cord afew weeks prior to her dancing debut. | | | | slither down in my seat tryingnot to be among the |
| But that didn't stop her fromlugging around the | | | | majority who were splitting a gut at thespectacle and |
| heavy cast trying keep up with the otherperformers. | | | | add to the embarrassment that Teri must have |
| That's my girl! | | | | beenbeginning to feel. |
| The big night arrives and in a flurry of hurried activity, | | | | Suddenly, as if it finally registered that the |
| we deliver ourgirls backstage complete with special | | | | non-relenting roar oflaughter was directed at her, she |
| hair do's and a full coat ofstage war paint and we | | | | ran off the stage. I was alreadyhustling out of the |
| take our seats in the auditorium. | | | | theatre to the backstage area in anticipation ofhaving |
| The place darkens, the curtain rises and the show | | | | to do some creative parenting and intense |
| begins with theperformances of some of the | | | | consolation. |
| advanced students. They beam withpride showing | | | | With a lot of tear drying and a little coaxing I |
| off the stuff they had worked so hard on all year | | | | managed to convincemy little dancer to "get on with |
| long. | | | | the show", where she performed therest of her |
| Two of Sara's dances were slated and as always, | | | | numbers, without using her fingers. |
| she didn't miss astep. | | | | The next year, she played tee ball. |