Dancing Queen

One week from today Madison will be making her fourth big stage debut!

I cannot believe how fast time has flown by. 

It feels just like yesterday that I signed Madison up for her first dance class. 

Shy and scared she refused to go into class alone. 

Parents weren't allowed in class to help with the anxiety separation but Madison wouldn't attend class unless I sat in the studio with her.

The whole introvert socially awkward post I wrote about yesterday, this has been the main example to date. 

To see her slowly grow into a social butterfly melts my heart. She loves to perform and entertain others. She is counting down the days to next Friday and secretly so am I.

At her first performance I remained teary eyed during the whole performance. My heart burst into a million pieces seeing her smile, dance and enjoy herself with all of the other kids that night. Knowing the shy timid little girl was performing in front of hundreds people made this mommy very proud. 

There is nothing like seeing your child transform before you. Everything you have taught them and encouraged to be starts to come alive and impresses you more than you will ever know. 

7 days from now I will again watch my little girl perform Up On The Housetop in front of an auditorium filled with people and I will think to myself "How did I get so lucky?"

All She Wants To Do Is Dance

A year ago we decided to enroll Madison into dance. I wanted her to step out of her comfort zone and become more social. Madison is very shy around people she doesn’t know and starts to shut down when put in an unfamiliar environment.

The entire first 6 weeks of dance Madison would not let me leave the dance room. Parents were instructed to leave the room so the children could learn to become more independent. Thankfully the instructor allowed me to stay in the room.

 

The first three weeks Madison needed me every session. I either had to hold her hand or stand right next to her and do the dances with her. Talk about embarrassing and awkward. I just wanted my little girl to succeed and to not be so shy.

Within the next two weeks I began to preach to Madison that she would be fine without me and that I would stay in the room but I would sit at the back of the room. If she couldn’t handle that then I would have to leave the classroom entirely. Madison accepted the proposal and began to latch onto the instructor instead. She began to dance with the other children and even start talking to them. On the sixth week I let Madison know that I would be leaving the classroom but sitting right outside of the door listening. She was a little hesitant but remained calm and went into class all alone!!

This was a hurdle that we had overcome and I couldn’t have been more excited! After class I rewarded her with ice cream and applauded and praised her all night.

In December, Madison performed in front of a huge audience at a local performing arts center. She danced to “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” and rocked it! She remembered every dance move and even smiled the entire dance! Bringing tears to my eyes and a joy to my heart I couldn’t have been any more proud of my little dancing queen!

This past weekend Madison performed on the same stage to “Under The Sea” a Little Mermaid routine and a finale dance with the entire dance company! She looked stunning in her gorgeous costume and her smile was contagious! Excited days before, she kept asking “Is it time for me to be on stage yet?” She loved every moment of it and so did I!

I still cannot believe that a year ago I couldn’t get her to dance, speak or go in the classroom alone and here we are today with two performances successfully completed and another year to begin in July! If it weren’t for her lovely instructor Alicia PanKonie and her wonderful dance company, Dance Connection Madison would have never grown into the fabulous dancer and social butterfly she is today!

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