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